Falling For You
by BeccaBo73
Summary: Dr. Patrick Drake drives Dr. Robin Scorpio crazy...in more ways than one! Please read and review!
1. Walking in a Winter Wonderland

**Walking in a Winter Wonderland**

Dr. Robin Scorpio walked out of the front doors of General Hospital and pulled her coat tighter around herself to guard against the chilly weather. The winter day was cloudy and cold. The temperatures were already below the norm and still falling. Reaching into her pockets, she retrieved her favorite gloves and covered her freezing hands with them as she turned toward home.

She hadn't even taken two steps when she heard him calling after her. She didn't bother to turn around because all of a sudden Dr. Patrick Drake was walking in step next her. "You know, Dr. Scorpio, I was just going over your notes on the Alexis Malloy case and I happened to notice..."

Robin just shook her head and tuned him out. She knew exactly what he was going to say because he had been saying it for the last two days. He felt the need to operate on the little girl while Robin felt that a new drug treatment would be better for her in the long run. They had been bantering back and forth all day and it was getting them no where...neither of them were going to give in, neither of them were going to back down, and nothing was going to be accomplished. It was an all too familiar dance.

Finally, Robin turned to Patrick and said, "You know what, Dr. Drake? My shift ended 20 minutes ago. Which means I am no longer professionally obligated to be a part of this conversation..._again_." She put the emphasis on the word again and she was sure she saw him roll his eyes as she continued. "So since I am quite sure you will still be condescending and pig headed about this tomorrow, let's call it a night shall we? It's been a long day and I'm going home now. To soak in a hot tub and...

"Curl up in front of the fire with only your precious research to keep you warm?" He finished, raising a mocking eyebrow at her. "Sounds like quite an evening of fun."

"We can't all keep up with a social life as exciting as yours. Nor do most of us want to." She returned, annoyed that he was taking jabs at her evening plans. But what really annoyed her was how right he was.

Without saying another word, she turned and continued walking. "It's snowing out here, you know!" He called after her retreating form.

"Thanks for the update." She called back.

"You'll freeze to death." He warned, still watching her as she walked away into the night.

"I'll risk it." She said, finally turning back to look at him. In spite of herself, she smiled and said, "I love this weather!"

Patrick thought she looked like a child at that moment, grinning from ear to ear at the thought of walking through a winter wonderland. And for reasons he couldn't quite understand, he decided to join her.

Robin was more than a little surprised when Patrick fell into step again beside her. "It's snowing out here, you know." She said, mocking his earlier statement. "Your precious hands may get frost bitten and then how will the people of this city ever survive?"

"These hands are well insured, so don't you worry about that." He answered, shoving his hands deep into his coat pockets. "Besides my car is in the shop having some detail work done. So since we both seem to be headed in the same direction, I thought we might as well walk together."

Robin grinned and said, "I wouldn't want you to ruin your reputation. You know, by being seen with me outside of the hospital."

"Believe me, my reputation is solid and can't be tarnished by a little troll like you." Patrick smirked down at her as they walked. His teasing about her height always seemed to get a strong reaction out of her, but tonight she let the troll comment slide. So he decided to take a different approach. "Speaking of my reputation, please tell me a little something about those two delicious blonds you were talking to at the nurse's station earlier. I would definitely like to..."

"Oh no you won't." Robin interrupted him quickly. "Those are my cousins, Maxie and Georgie, and they are completely off limits."

"Says who?" He wanted to know.

"Says me." She informed him. "And says their father..._the police commissioner_."

"I haven't done anything illegal. Yet." Patrick grinned wickedly. "Besides, father's love me."

Robin rolled her eyes. "You don't know my Uncle Mac. Besides, Georgie is still in high school and Maxie is dating a cop. So it looks like you are out of luck."

"She's dating a cop, huh?" Patrick mused. "So that must mean she likes dangerous men. I have quite a dangerous side..."

"Give it a rest." Robin said, cutting him off before she had to hear anymore of it. Then taking a jab of her own, she asked, "So why aren't you consulting with your father on the Malloy case? It sounds like a case that would be right in his field of expertise."

Patrick cast a sidelong look at Robin that told her to once again butt out where his father was concerned. "Now why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?" She asked innocently.

"Trying to play peacemaker between me and my father." He muttered.

"Because you don't seem to know what I know."

"So please enlighten me, all knowing one. What do you know about the situation with _my father_ that I don't?"

Robin stopped walking and turned to look him square in the face, causing Patrick to stop too. "I know that I would give anything in this world to have a living father...whether I thought he was a screw up or not. You have one and you're throwing him away."

Whatever Patrick was expecting her to say, that certainly wasn't it. He watched her turn to keep walking and then caught up with her again in just a few strides. They walked in silence for a few moments before Patrick couldn't resist asking, "What happened to your father?"

"He died in an explosion on a boat when I was younger." She said simply and matter of factly. Almost too matter of factly.

"An explosion?" Patrick asked, leaving the obvious question unvoiced.

"It's complicated."

"Everyone's family is complicated." Patrick said and then waited for her answer. When one didn't come, he said, "So, let's see if I've got this right. You can poke your nose into my family's business but I can't ask questions about yours?"

Robin sighed, knowing he had a point yet hating to admit it, and said, "My father, Robert Scorpio, lived a very adventurous life. He was an agent for the World Security Bureau and Australia's answer to James Bond. Whenever danger was afoot, it was a certainty that my dad would be at the center of it. But it varied as to whether he was the cause of the adventure, or the solution to it! One thing was always consistent, though -- whenever Robert was around, it was always exciting!" Robin smiled and shook her head at the memories of her father that floated through her head and thought of all the excitement that had come her way as a child because she was Robert and Anna's daughter. "Because of his work, we spent a lot of time apart, but when we were together he was the greatest. My mom used to say I was the apple of his eye and that I had him wrapped around my little finger. I didn't even meet him until I was 7 and then he moved to Australia, but he always came back when I needed him."

"And then one day he didn't." Patrick finished for her.

"I lost him and my mom on the same day. Or so I thought." Robin said. "My uncle Mac became my guardian, so it wasn't that bad. Mac Scorpio is the original good guy. He's not just there for the people he loves when they love him back, he's there for them for good. Even when we're at odds...which we are all the time...I know in my heart that he's always is in my corner."

"But he's not your dad."

"No. He's not my dad." Robin said quietly, grateful for the understanding she seemed to be finding within him. It was completely unexpected.

They continued walking in silence and Robin took the opportunity to look at the world around her. They were at the edge of the park and the scene was positively beautiful. She gazed around with wonder at the frost-covered trees, and the branches sparkled like diamonds. It was positively beau-

Thwack!

Robin felt the cold, wet snow hit the side of her face and slide down her cheek. When she whirled around to face Patrick, he was laughing like a little kid. "That was uncalled for!" She said, causing him to laugh harder.

His boyish smile continued to lighten his features, and his pale eyes crinkled in mirth. "From my perspective, it was a perfectly reasonable opportunity. Things were getting entirely too serious."

Robin stared at him for a moment, then finally smiled sweetly. It only took him a few seconds to realize that he shouldn't trust that smile. A wicked grin curved at her lips as she bent downward to scoop up a handful of snow. She started to pack it into a ball as he began backing away from her.

"Well, two can play at that game!" she cried, darting after him and hitting him square in the back with her snowball. Robin batted at a couple stray snowflakes, blinking as the cool wind gave them the push they needed to fall in to her eyes. Another gust blew strands of her brown hair into her face, distracting her long enough to realize that Patrick had disappeared into the winter scenery.

Patrick waited a few moments before risking a peep around the edge of the tree he was hiding behind, then frowned as he realised that Robin was nowhere in sight. Then a movement out of the corner of his eye made him whirl around, just in time to catch a large amount of snow right in his face at close range. Spluttering in a most unsophisticated manner as he clawed the snow out of his eyes, he looked up to find Robin standing a few feet away, cackling with laughter.

Blowing a strand of hair out of her face, she decided from the look on his face that she had better make a run for it. She took a deep breath and raced across the open ground towards a tree of her own to hide behind. The barrage of snowballs he sent flying in her direction caused Robin to scream in shock and laughter before diving for the tree.

The snowball fight continued as neither one was going to give in easily. Robin squatted down and began to pack snowballs as fast as she could, not quite sure what Patrick's next move would be. She soon found out as he snuck up behind her, grabbed one of her snowballs and lobbed it at her. It landed on her head and she laughed.

They began to wrestle, both trying to get the upper hand, trying to snatch snow and trying not to be hit at the same time. Patrick ducked back behind the tree to retrieve some more snowballs just as Robin decided to tackle him. He managed to catch her as she tried to jump on his back, but her momentum knocked both of them to the ground. She landed on him, her breath puffing out around his face as it was knocked out of her.

Neither of them moved. The wind and snow seemed to stop. Everything around them was quiet; they couldn't even hear the traffic from the nearby street as they had during their snow war. Robin risked looking into his eyes and that was when the world shifted. The deep flush in his cheeks from the cold, the way his chest moved with his shallow breaths and Robin knew she was lost. Her stomach twisted inside her, and her heart began to play a jumping game.

"Hi!" she said softly after finally getting her breath back.. Robin pushed herself up on her hands, which were on either side of his head, so that she was looking down on him. A loose strand of hair fell forward to tickle his cheek.

"Hi there..." he answered, savoring the sensation of her warmth covering him. In that one moment, Patrick knew that everything had changed. It wasn't about the game anymore. He and Robin were now playing another game where either one didn't want to lose. All he could focus on was the beautiful woman, whose face was inches from his own.

"Patrick?" she breathed the question, not trusting her own voice, as his eyes met hers. Then the connection was made and it jolted both of them together like an electric shock, before pulling them close. Since they had met, they had been avoiding what was about to happen, but it had caught them both unaware this time.

Their faces were barely inches apart, and she could feel his warm breath on her face. Then his soft lips were on hers, stealing away words. Patrick shifted slightly, and the change allowed him to deepen the kiss. Her cold nose pressed into his warm cheek as his mouth moved over hers. One of Patrick's hands suddenly tangled in her hair as he claimed her lips, exploring her mouth with a passion. His other hand slid up her leg to circle her waist and pull her closer. Through her fog-hazed brain, Robin came to the realization that Dr. Patrick Drake was a man of very many talents.

He broke off the kiss, and for a fleeting moment Robin thought he regretted it, but that was brushed aside when he lowered his lips to hers once more. Robin's arms moved up to wrap around Patrick's neck, bringing him closer.

A few, long moments later, they finally broke apart. Their breath mingled together as they tried to calm down.

"Dr. Scorpio..." Patrick began softly.

She looked up at him with large, luminous eyes, laced with a retreating desire. Her lips were swollen from his kisses.

"Shush," she said softly. "Say nothing." After a heartbeat he nodded, but he did brush the back of her cold hand with his thumb. She refused to meet his gaze, as she tried to slow her breathing. Then she pulled away from him and stood up.

Robin knew what had just happened between them had probably been inevitable at some stage. If it hadn't of happened here, it would have happened somewhere else. But one thing she knew - it couldn't happen again. There was too much at stake. But just once, just once, she had wanted to know what it would have been like. To feel his strong arms around her, to taste his lips. It was a moment of weakness that she would carry as a precious memory. An indulgence of a forbidden fruit.

Or so she thought.


	2. On the Day After

_FYI - I changed history a little and have Liz and Robin as best friends for this fic!_

* * *

**Chapter Two - On the Day After**

"Good morning, Dr. Scorpio." Patrick greeted Robin as he walked up to the nurses' station desk and laid down the stack of files he was carrying.

Not looking up from her paperwork, Robin said stiffly, "Dr. Drake."

Smirking, Patrick asked, "So, what is this? It's not enough for you to look like you're twelve...now you have to act that way too?"

Robin visibly stiffened, but did not say anything to him. She would not give him the satisfaction.

But Patrick would not be dissuaded. Coming up behind her, he stood very close and whispered in her ear, "I know that you find it hard to control yourself around me, but you're just going to have to refrain from throwing yourself at me here at work. As you pointed out last night, I do have a reputation to protect."

That did it. Robin put down her pen and ignored the shiver of excitement that ran through her body at the feel of him pressed up against her and his warm breath tickling her sensitive earlobes. She turned to face him and said, "What happened last night was simply the end result of working too closely together for too long a period of time. That's all."

"That's all?" He asked, thoroughly enjoying the discomfort he sensed within her. "Really? Because you have been working very closely with my father these last few weeks. Are you going to kiss him, too? Or Liz? You work with her everyday...probably more closely than you work with me. Now, I for one, wouldn't mind seeing that kiss at all." Robin glared at him, not at all happy that he was once again having fun at her expense. But he continued nonetheless. "And then there's Jason. I mean, you're in his room at least three times a day. A sexy kiss should fit right in with that famous bedside manner you are so proud of."

"Why, Dr. Drake, are you jealous?" Robin shot back, hearing the change in his voice when he asked her about kissing Jason.

"Jealous of Jason Morgan?" He repeated, looking a bit uncomfortable but covering it up nicely. "I don't think so."

"Really?" Robin countered with a grin, glad to have the upper hand in this conversation once again. "Because you spend an awful lot of time talking about my interactions with him. I just find that strange behavior for someone who claims he doesn't care."

Before Patrick could answer, Liz came up to the desk and handed Robin a chart. "Here you go, Rob. I've completed the preliminary blood work on Mr. Anderson and he's ready and waiting for you in Exam Room 4."

Grateful for her intrusion, Robin smiled at her friend and opened the chart Liz handed her. Scanning the test results, Robin nodded her head and said, "Yep. Just as I thought." She looked back up and thanked Liz, then looked at Patrick. "Excuse me, but I have work to do." She said before turning and walking away.

Liz had to bite her lip to keep from laughing and began to busy herself with some paper work on the desk. Unable to resist, she looked up at Patrick and said, "You should be jealous, you know."

"What?" He looked over at her, more than a little annoyed.

"Of Jason. You should be jealous of him." Liz repeated, putting her pen down and looking him straight in the eye. "He was the second great love of Robin's life. And a connection like theirs is never really broken. It's still there, it'll always be there."

"You mean, the same Jason Morgan with the gorgeous girlfriend who never leaves his side for an instant?" Patrick asked smugly.

"Why do you think Sam so willingly entrusted his life to Robin's care. She knew that Robin would do anything in her power to make sure that Jason lived. And she did. Sam knows that Jason's connection to Robin still exists. That it will always exist." Liz said simply. "And, so do you. I mean, why else would you get so riled up by the way Robin is concerned about Jason's recovery."

"Riled up? I don't get..." Patrick shook his head and tried to dismiss Liz's words. "You don't know what you're talking about." He finally said, gathering his things and getting ready to walk away.

"Maybe." Liz shrugged, but then couldn't resist adding. "But I do know about snowball fights that lead to sexy kisses in the snow."

Patrick turned back around and asked, almost in disbelief, "She told you about that?"

Liz chuckled. "Are you kidding? She's my best friend. If you think it didn't come up over coffee and donuts this morning, then you don't as much about women as you think." Liz went back to her paperwork, fully expecting Patrick to leave. But he didn't. She looked up as he was lingering around the desk and raised her eyebrow at him. "Do you need something?"

Patrick shook his head, but still didn't turn to leave. Slowly, he asked, "So, Jason and Robin...it was serious?"

"Very." Liz replied.

"What happened?" He wanted to know.

Liz chuckled and shook her head. "You don't have that kind of time. No one does. It's a long complicated story that involves Robin hating Jason's job, Paris, Sonny, Carly and her son Michael..."

"Carly?" Patrick interrupted, a light seeming to go on in his head. "I thought that there was..._something_...going on between them."

Liz let out a soft, low whistle and said, "There's no love lost between Carly and Robin, that's for sure." Again, Liz went back to her work and again Patrick lingered at the desk. Liz finally closed the chart she was working on and looked at him. "Will you just ask me whatever it is you want to ask already?"

Patrick grinned, amused by her spunkiness, and then asked quietly, "You said Jason was the second great love of Robin's life?" Liz nodded and he continued, "So, who was the first? Some french artist or something?"

Liz watched him closely for a long time, choosing her words very carefully. Finally, she said, "His name was Stone. They fell in love as teenagers..."

"She found a great love when she was a teenager?" Patrick scoffed. "It was probably just puppy love."

Liz shook her head. "No. What Robin and Stone had as teenagers was more real than what most people ever experience. They went through a lot together."

Patrick shrugged, not looking thoroughly convinced. "So what happened to him? If it was such a great love, why didn't he stick around?"

Liz glared at him, then took a deep breath and reminded herself that he didn't know what had happened to Stone. And she shouldn't be the one to tell him. Picking up the charts she was working on, Liz brushed by Dr. Drake and said, "Robin will have to be the one to tell you about that."


	3. Getting to Know You

**Chapter Three - Getting to Know You**

Robin's bare feet padded along the shiny hardwood floors of her apartment. She knew she had a bottle of bubble bath somewhere in her new apartment and she was on a mission to find it. When her uncle or co-workers didn't know what to get her for her birthday or Christmas, they went with the old stand-by's...bubble bath and scented candles. She had the candles. She had the wine. She had the latest best-seller and the Carly Simon CD's cued up in the stereo. She had a good thirty minutes before her dinner was finished heating up in the oven and the rest of the night all to herself. And she had the hot water running in the tub. A perfect recipe for a relaxing evening at home. All she needed now was the bubble bath.

"Riley, did you eat my bubble bath?" She asked her German Shepard, who was lying on the floor in the living room watching her go back and forth between the boxes she hadn't gotten around to unpacking when she moved in. He lifted his head to acknowledge that she was talking to him, but then laid it right back down again. "Aha!" She exclaimed in victory, pulling a gift bag out of one of the boxes . Still wrapped up from last Christmas, Robin pulled out the bottle of jasmine scented bubble bath and headed back into her bathroom. She added the foamy liquid to her hot, running water and let the fragrant aroma settle her frazzled nerves. It had been a long week. And she deserved this evening to herself.

Lighting the candles she had strategically placed around her bathroom and shedding her bathrobe, Robin climbed into the hot, soapy tub and submerged her weary body in the floral scented bubbles. Carly Simon's melodic voice filled the small room and Robin began quietly singing along to her favorite song.

_"All I want is you and the sexy hurricane that we share..."_ She sang, leaving her book in it's place on the counter. She would read later. Right now she was just enjoying the nothingness that filled up the space around her. Lying back against the tub, she closed her eyes and drifted off into relaxation world.

The CD was nearing the end and Robin was contemplating the thought of getting out of the tub to change CD's when she heard her doorbell ring. Her eyes flew open and she sat straight up. Riley began barking and she could hear his toe-nails clicking on the floors as she was sure he was pacing back and forth in front of the door. "You've got to be kidding me." She muttered to herself, pulling herself out of her soothing bath and putting on her robe. Pulling the belt tight around her, Robin made her way out into the front hallway to find Riley jumping up on his hind legs against the door.

"Sit." Robin commanded him, but was ignored. Riley's barking became louder, so she raised her voice and said again, "Riley, sit!" Looking through her peephole, Robin was surprised to see Patrick standing on the other side of her door. Riley had crept back up behind her and Robin turned to grab a hold of his collar. "It's OK. It's OK, buddy. Go back to your bed." Riley, the well trained guard dog, looked at her with his ears pointed and cocked his head to the side. It wasn't until Robin pointed at his bed that he finally followed her command.

"How did you get up here?" Robin asked through the closed door. "I have a rather large doorman downstairs. Who is paid very well, actually."

"Hi yourself." Patrick said, smirking.

Ignoring his sexy smirk, Robin tried again. "How did you know where I live?"

"Employees addresses are listed in their personnel files at the hospital. You are an employee and so your address..."

"You looked in my personnel file?" Robin exclaimed, wondering what else he found out about her in there. Who in their right mind would give him access to her personnel file? "Have you no shame?" She demanded.

Patrick chuckled and said, "Oh relax, will you? Liz gave me your address."

"Liz is a little too helpful for her own good." Robin muttered under her breath.

"Are you going to let me in?" He asked. "I feel like an idiot standing out here in the hallway. And with all the noise your dog was making, people are starting to stare."

"What do you want?" She asked, not sure she wanted to deal with him on her night off.

"To come in." He repeated. "Now will you please open this door before I have to impress you with my ability to kick it in?"

"I think you are greatly underestimating my security system." Robin said, unlocking the door and opening it up. "And greatly overestimating your own strength."

"That hurt." He said, casually leaning against her door frame and grinning at her. "How are you going to make it up to me?"

"You interrupted my relaxing evening. And showed up here without calling first." She shot back. "I think the better question is, how are you going to make it up to _me_?"

Riley, who had stayed on his pillow bed longer than Robin had expected, made his appearance and began barking at Patrick. "Whoah...nice doggy." Patrick said nervously, taking in Riley's sharp teeth and menacing bark.

"Riley, get back in your bed!" She knelt down and rubbed her baby's head. "It's OK, baby. Go." Again, she pointed at the bed and Riley skulked back to his bed, keeping one watchful eye on Patrick.

"That's a big dog." Patrick said, also keeping one of his eye's fixed on Riley.

"That's a good quality for a watch dog to have." Robin teased him. "My uncle Mac gave him to me when I moved back to Port Charles. Kind of a welcome home gift is what he said. But there's always going to be a part of him that thinks I need to be protected. I wouldn't move in with him, so I guess he figured that a dog was the next best thing."

Patrick shrugged in agreement. "An understandable reaction for him to have since you cavort with hit men."

"I don't cavort." Robin said stiffly, finally accepting the fact that he wasn't going away and closing the door behind him. "So, why did you say you were here again?"

"To see you." He answered simply.

Taken aback by his honest answer, Robin recovered by saying, "That's all you've got? C'mon Dr. Drake, there's got to be some case of mine that you've been reviewing and disagree with. Or some friend of mine who's phone number you want. You couldn't come up with something better than you want to see me?"

"Do I need something better than that?" He asked, moving closer and finally noticing that all she wore was a bathrobe. Her flawless skin was pink from the heat of her bath, her dark hair was loosely pulled up on top of her head with enticing little tendrils escaping all around her face, and she smelled intoxicating. Trying to focus, Patrick said, "OK, how about I tell you that Manny Ruiz's attorney contacted me today and said that we would be called upon for medical testimony at his trial."

Robin shook her head and said, "Too late. Alexis already spoke to me this afternoon about it. So if that's all you've got, you can go now." She said, motioning her arm toward her door.

Ignoring her motion and comments, Patrick walked past her into the living room of her apartment. "I love what you've done with the place."

Robin shook her head and followed him into the living room. "I haven't had a lot of time for unpacking. With the holidays and trying to keep you from messing with my cases, I've been pretty swamped."

Again ignoring her sarcasm, Patrick moved over to the table by the couch and picked up one of the framed photos that were sitting there. "Is this the illustrious Robert Scorpio, man of intrigue and adventure?" He asked, turning back to Robin.

"The one and only." Robin said, smiling at the photo of Robert, Anna, and herself. It was one of her favorites, taken right before the explosion.

"And your mom?" Patrick asked, looking at Anna.

"Her name is Anna."

"And where is she through all of this?"

"Paris. She couldn't get back to the states for the holidays, but I talked to her for a few hours on Christmas Day." Robin smiled at the memory of her mother's voice and how good she sounded. "I'm going to owe Uncle Mac big money for that phone bill."

"You look like her." He said, looking from the photo back to Robin.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Robin said.

"Good." Patrick replied with a smile. "It was meant as one." They smiled at each other and their gazes held for longer than either had expected. Patrick was the first one to look away as he picked up another framed photo from the table. On the frame, the quote _"Love is giving someone the power to destroy you and trusting them not to."_ was etched into the silver under a picture of a younger Robin sitting with her arms around a good looking guy. "Since this looks nothing like Jason Morgan, I'm going to guess that this is the other great love of your life. Stone. Is that his name?"

"How do you know about Stone?" Robin asked, walking over and taking the picture out of his hands.

"Your life is an open book, Dr. Scorpio." He answered, looking at her curiously as she lovingly replaced the picture on the table. "At least for some people anyway."

"Liz again?" Robin asked. When he nodded, Robin knew that she and Liz were going to have to have a chat about matchmaking. "Her heart is in the right place, I guess." Robin said quietly.

"So, where is old Stone?" Patrick asked with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Is he back in France, too? Because if he's my only competition for your affections, I've got to say that I definitely have closer proximity in my favor..."

"He's not in Paris." Robin snapped, cutting him off. "He's not anywhere. He died. Over ten years ago." She glared at him for a few moments and watched the surprise at her response register in his eyes. "I need a drink." She said, suddenly. "Do you want one?"

"Sure." He said slowly, processing what she had just told him. She nodded and headed back to the bathroom. Confused Patrick asked, "You keep drinks in your bathroom?"

"I told you that I was relaxing this evening. I only got to finish half of my wine before I was so rudely interrupted." _Plus_, Robin thought, _I have to change_. Being so close to him and wearing only a bathrobe was doing something delightfully dangerous to her senses. But she needed to put some distance between them for a little while.

"OK, Riley and I will wait here." Patrick called after her. He looked down at the dog and laughed a nervous smile. "Good doggy." He said as he sat down on the sofa.

When Robin returned, safely clothed in the outfit she had been wearing earlier that day and carrying the bottle of wine, Patrick was nosing through one of the books on her coffee table. He looked up and said, "I found the dog treats. Riley and I are now good friends."

Robin grinned as she went into the kitchen and found another wine glass for him. As she was pouring, the timer on her oven went off and so she pulled out her dinner plate.

Patrick, who had wandered into the kitchen, looked at the meal and asked, "Did you cook that?"

Robin shook her head and avoided his eyes. "I reheated it." She said, focusing on the food. "I went over to Uncle Mac's house for the holidays and Felicia loaded me up with dinners I could stick in the freezer and reheat."

"Prime Rib, twice baked potato, broccoli and cheese souffle." Patrick let out a low whistle and said, "Uncle Mac does pretty well for a cop. Do Sonny and Jason float a little cash his way because they are friends with you...?"

Robin turned on him, the fire flashing in her eyes. "Don't you dare!" She said, pointing the knife she had been using to cut the meat at him and causing him to lean back. "Don't you ever imply that my uncle takes pay offs from the mob. He is a stand up cop and a stand up guy! He hates the fact that I cavort, as you say, with Sonny and Jason." Robin turned back to the plate, having lost her appetite completely. "It was Christmas." She said in a softer tone. "A special occasion. They don't eat like this everyday."

Patrick watched her for a moment, leaning on the counter, before saying quietly, "I'm sorry. For implying anything about Mac." He paused and then said, "And for joking about Stone. I didn't know he was dead. Liz didn't tell me that part. I guess that's why she said you should tell me."

"Well, now I have." Robin said shortly. "Do you want some of this?" She asked, pointing to the separate plate she was making. "It's too much for me and it would be rude to eat in front of you."

Patrick nodded and sat on one of the bar stools across the counter from her. "So, did you and Stone meet in high school or something?"

Robin shook her head and put the plate and wine glass down in front of him. "He worked for Sonny."

"Is that what killed him?" Patrick asked, innocently enough but winced when he realized how bad it sounded as the words came out of his mouth. "What I mean is, was he a hit man like Jason and something went wrong..."

"Why can't you let it rest?" Robin asked him, sitting across from him at her own plate.

Patrick shrugged. "Because it intrigues me. You intrigue me. You are a smart and beautiful woman who sits at home nights with only her dog and her research to keep her warm. I just want to figure out the puzzle that is Robin Scorpio and this new information seems to be important."

"You won't be quite so intrigued when you find out why." Robin muttered, watching him feed pieces of his prime rib to his new friend Riley. "At $10 per pound, could you not feed that to the dog?"

Patrick tossed another piece of meat at Riley, just to annoy her. "I need an ally." He said, grinning at her. "And what makes you so sure that whatever secrets you have will cause me to be any less interested in you than I am now?"

"Because it's happened before. More times than I care to count." She answered.

"Maybe I'm different." He said, taking a sip of his wine.

"And maybe you're not." She answered, picking at her plate and avoiding his eyes.

"Try me."

Robin smiled a wry smile and said, "See, you say that now. And then in two minutes you're going to be running for the hills."

"I don't scare that easily." He countered, the challenge he was issuing lighting up his eyes.

Robin put down her fork and looked him right in the eye. Taking a deep breath, she said in a strong voice, "It wasn't a mobster's bullet that killed Stone. It was AIDS."


	4. Confessions From the Heart

_Thanks for your kind reviews! I'm so glad everyone likes this fic!_

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**Chapter Four - Confessions from the Heart**

They sat in unnerving and seemingly unending silence, neither knowing if they should be the first to speak. Robin watched as Patrick digested the information she had just told him, looking as if he had been punched in the gut. He opened his mouth to speak but there were no words.

Feeling the need to be the one who broke the silence, Robin quietly explained, "Stone led a rough life on the streets, involving drug use and unprotected sex, before he came to work for Sonny. At first, he tested negative for HIV but then we were both soon devastated to discover that he was HIV positive. And, having neglected to take the necessary six month retest, had a virulent form of full-blown AIDS."

"And so you are..." Patrick began, but couldn't seem to put the right words together.

Robin stared right through him, her will stronger than ever. "I'm HIV positive, but I am perfectly fine. My viral load is undetectable and has been for the last eight years."

Patrick dropped his eyes back down to his plate and then looked beyond her, staring out into the city lights beyond her window. "I don't know exactly what to say," he said, finally focusing his gaze back on Robin. "I mean, anything I could possibly say would sound rather trivial now and this isn't the time for trivial."

"I'll get your coat." Robin said, sliding off her barstool and moving past him into the living room. She was surprised when he caught her arm.

"Are you kicking me out?" He asked, holding her gaze.

"It's time to run for the hills, Dr. Drake." She said, gently freeing her arm from his light grasp. "I could draw you a map if you'd like, seeing that you're new around here."

Patrick shook his head and stood up, placing his tall frame between her and her intended destination. "Christ, Robin, I know you think I'm a jerk, but can't you give me any credit at all? I'm a doctor and a pretty smart guy. I can handle this." He said, then his voice softened. "If you'll let me."

"That just hasn't been my experience." Robin said, finally looking up at him with sad eyes. He now understood the emotions behind those eyes a little better.

Patrick raised his eyebrow at her and said, "Then I feel better knowing that I am not the biggest jerk you've ever met." Patrick took her arm and led her to the couch, sitting himself down next to her. "Talk to me."

"I don't know where to begin." She said softly, looking down at her nervous hands.

"With Stone." He said quietly, taking her hand and interlacing his fingers with hers. Not in a gesture of love, but in a gesture of comforting friendship. He gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. After a few more minutes, Robin began to speak.

"I still feel him with me, you know? Giving me the strength that he had at the end," Robin stopped, feeling an overwhelming sense of loss come over her. She held back the wave of emotion that threatened to drown her. "After finding out, Stone lived his remaining days to their fullest. He went bungee jumping, walked on stilts, and we even spent a night on the roof of ELQ under the stars. But at the end, he lost his sight and became bedridden, and went home to Sonny's penthouse to die." Robin's voice faltered a little and she felt Patrick squeeze her hand. "I got tested, too, and the first test was negative. But he begged me to be tested one more time before he died and that time, unfortunately, was when I tested positive for HIV. Stone was devastated, but faced both my illness and his own death bravely. He died, looking at me one last miraculous time, with me and Sonny and his other loved ones nearby." Robin looked up at Patrick, whose face was unreadable. "Dealing with Stone's illness and death had pulled Sonny and I close, and I grew to care for him deeply. That's why I am friends with him. In fact, Stone's passing left a lasting effect on the entire Port Charles community. Even my uncle Mac. I mean he was, at first, furious with Stone for having put me in danger. But later, uncle Mac came to admire Stone's courage, strength, and conviction in the face of adversity. After his death, he built the patch that represented Stone's memory in the AIDS Quilt."

"I'm sorry," Patrick whispered, his voice heavy with emotion. "I'm sorry that you had to go through all that. That you're still going through it."

Robin wiped a stray tear from her eye. "It's not so painful anymore. But sometimes I can't help but wonder how my life would be different if Stone had lived. Would I be the doctor I am today? Would we still be together?" Robin smiled and said, "I'd like to think so, on both accounts. Stone was my first, true love." Robin knew she'd never feel for anyone the way she did for him. Even her relationship with Jason paled in comparison to the depth of the emotion she'd felt for Stone.

Quietly, Patrick asked, "When you found out that your second test was positive, what was it like? I mean, how did you deal with it?"

Robin was glad he was interested in her reaction. Being a doctor, she would have thought he would be interested in the medical side of things. But, as she was learning, there was more to Patrick Drake than meets the eye. "I had what I thought was the normal emotions someone would have at the discovery of news like that." She said. "I was filled with this overwhelming sense of fear and guilt. It pulsed through my veins and corrupted my ability to move. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't hear. My body was paralyzed, but my mind was not. Questions continued to fill my head and I wanted to just break down and start crying until my eyes were too dry to release another drop. But Stone needed me to be strong and so I had to be."

Patrick leaned back against the sofa and turned to face her. He was quiet for a moment and then his trademark smirk returned to his face. "So this is why you keep trying so hard not to like me?" He asked, adding some humor to a tense situation. Robin laughed as he said, "Whew. I was afraid I had lost my edge or something."

"I'm so glad I could make you feel better." She said with a grin, thankful for how easy he had made the whole thing on her. She had never expected this kind of reaction from him...the sympathy, the understanding, and the laughter. But her voice got a bit more serious when she said, "Whenever I try to start a new relationship, my HIV status tends to become an issue. I'm not ashamed of being HIV positive, but I don't wear it like a badge because I know that it can complicate things."

Patrick looked at her and nodded in agreement as Robin continued, "That's why my research and being a doctor is so important to me. It's a daily reminder that awful things happen to everyone sometimes and when they do, you're left with a choice. You can either stay down or you can choose life. I choose life. And I help other people choose it, too, because I know how precious it can be. I was down for awhile, but I finally realized that you have to accept what's happened, grieve about it, start the healing process, and go on."

"You make it sound so easy." he said.

"I don't mean to. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do. But I've learned that the things that once frightened me might not be so frightening after all."

"Like death?" He asked.

Robin nodded. "One day my tears of sorrow and self pity softly stopped and my heart began to heal itself. The human heart is amazing that way. My grief was interrupted one day by episodes of joy, and I heard the whisper of hope again." She smiled at him. "I'm alive. I'm healthy for the most part. I have friends and family who love me and are with me every step of the way. Some people aren't that lucky. That's why I do what I do...so people will know that they're not alone in their pain. That someone out there, even if it's just me, cares about them."

"The infamous Scorpio bedside manner." He teased, letting his eyes drift over her beautiful face. There was so much he didn't know about this woman and it was all becoming clearer. They were polar opposites. Her reaction to death was to pull closer to life. His was to detach from it. Except in one important area. One area where she was detached and he was not. "So, that's why a beautiful, smart, and intriguing girl like yourself watches other people's relationships from afar. By choice. Have you...?" Patrick began to ask, searching for the right words, and Robin immediately put him at ease.

"Yes." She said quietly. "I thought that part of my life was over, that I would never enjoy a man's touch ever again because I would be thinking about his safety. But, luckily, I was wrong."

"Jason?" He asked.

Again, Robin nodded. "He was the only man who's been able to see past the disease and saw me."

"Not the only guy." Patrick whispered seductively, leaning closer and taking her face in his hands.

Robin stiffened. "Don't."

"Why not? You don't still deny yourself pleasure, do you?" He asked, leaning even closer. Slowly inch by inch. He could see her body continue to tense and so he whispered soothing words, his breath warm and sweet on her skin.

His closeness was intoxicating to Robin, but she turned her head anyway. Placing her hands firmly on his muscled chest, she pushed him away and said, "Patrick, don't. I don't want your pity kisses."

His eyes never left hers, searching them for what lay beneath her protected surface. "Good. Because I'm not offering pity kisses." He said, leaning in again.

Again, she pushed him away and this time jumped off the couch. "This would just be the cherry on top for you, wouldn't it?" She asked, turning back to face him. "The ultimate notch in your bedpost."

"Could you stop speaking in cliches and come back and sit down?" He asked, a little confused by her reaction.

"You'd like that wouldn't you? To touch the untouchable me. To be able to bring sex back into the life of the sexless." Robin demanded, hot tears forming in her eyes. "That would make you the ultimate stud, wouldn't it? Cement your reputation for life." She walked to the door and yanked it open. "Sorry, Patrick, but I'm not that desperate."

Patrick just stared at her for a moment, then without a word he got up and walked toward the door he held open. "You know, Dr. Scorpio, for someone who is so smart, you can be a damned fool." Taking his coat, he walked past her into the hallway. Turning back, he said, "You're wrong about me. And I'm going to prove it to you."


	5. Girl Talk

**Chapter Five - Girl Talk**

"One orange sherbert and one hot fudge brownie sundae deluxe. With extra hot fudge." Mike winked at Robin as he set the bowls of frozen treats down in front of her and Liz and said, "We don't get a lot of orders for the hot fudge brownie in the middle of winter, Dr. Scorpio."

Robin smiled a tired smile and said, "It's the only vice I have left, Mike. And it's been a long week."

The teasing smile left Mike's face as he awkwardly patted Robin's shoulder. "Well," he said quietly and sympathetically, "then enjoy it, ladies." Liz smiled her thanks at Mike as he walked back behind the bar.

"See," Robin whispered, picking up her spoon and digging into her ice cream, "pity. From Mike. I make one little comment about needing ice cream to soothe over a bad week and suddenly I'm on my death bed and this is my last meal."

"If you're always ready for a fight, my friend, you're always going to find one." Liz scolded with a smile, taking a bite of her sherbert.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Robin snapped back, instantly sorry once the harsh words were out of her mouth. She took a big bite of her ice cream and closed her eyes while she savored the sweet chocolate on her tongue.

"It means chill out a little, Rob." Liz said, ignoring the edge in Robin's voice as only a friend can. "You've been on edge all day and it's freaking people out. You've snapped at Monica, Jason, Sam, Alexis, Noah, Bobbie, the ER nurse, and me...on more than one occasion, I might add. I thought I had better get you out of that hospital before you started taking it out on your patients."

Robin was quiet for a moment and then she finally said, "I had a colleague in Paris who once told me that the only thing standing between me and true happiness were my demons shouting down the better angels in my brain. Do you think that's true?"

Liz regarded her friend for a moment before reaching over to take a spoonful of Robin's sundae. After she finished her bite, she said, "I think that you have been through more in your short lifetime than most people ever have to go through. And however you choose to cope with that is up to you...not me, not Mac, not Jason, and certainly not your colleague in Paris."

"So, how am I doing with this coping nonsense?" Robin asked, a teasing edge to her voice but Liz could tell that her answer was important to Robin.

"In my professional opinion?" Liz asked, sitting up straighter and pretending to open an imaginary folder sitting in front of her. "Let's see. _Number One_ - You are a productive member of society who is not only an amazing doctor, but who is going to change the world of medicine as we know it some day. _Number Two_ - You have amazing family members and friends who absolutely adore you. And," Liz looked lovingly at Robin, "_Number Three_ - You get out of bed every day. So I would say that in the classic struggle between a person's demon's and their better angels, we finally have a fair fight in Robin Scorpio."

Robin was touched by Liz's words and it took her a moment to ask, "What does getting out of bed every day have to do with anything?"

"There are a lot of people who don't." Liz said matter of factly. "There are people who face the same struggles you do every day and choose to hide from life. They choose to miss out on all the things you get to experience. It's easy to pull the covers up over your head each morning and let the world go by. What takes courage, my friend, is getting up every day and facing whatever life throws at you. Which you do." Liz reached across the table and took Robin's hand in her own and continued, "Which I admire. And I am so glad you are here, getting out of a bed in Port Charles every day. Because I have missed you terribly."

"But I do hide from the things that scare me. Like love." Robin admitted, the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Liz squeezed Robin's hand. "So you have a few relationship phobias, big deal. You'll work them out."

"And if I don't?"

"I'll still love you." Liz reassured her. "And so will a lot of other people."

"Thank you for being my friend, Lizzie girl. I couldn't do this without you." Robin gave Liz's hand a final squeeze before pulling her hand away. She wiped away the tears that had formed at her lids and joked, "Okay, this love fest has got to stop." Robin took another big bite of her sundae and looked apologetically at Liz. "Was I really a monster today?" She asked.

"Let's just say that you weren't yourself. And people started to notice." Liz told her, then added slyly, "Including Dr. Patrick Drake. Who you did an excellent job of avoiding all day, in case you were wondering."

"I wasn't avoiding him..." Robin began, but Liz's laughter cut her off.

"Give me a break, girl!" Liz laughed, pointing her spoon at Robin with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "You were too funny, making sure he wasn't going to be in all the places you had to be. Checking around corridors, taking your break at a different time, avoiding his patient's rooms. I felt like we were back in high school! I was ready to ask you if you wanted me to pass him a note in gym class." Robin made a face, causing Liz to laugh even harder. "OK, I've waited all day to find out what's eating you. I've given you ice cream and compliments, so now you have to spill it."

Robin shook her head and picked at her ice cream. Finally, she looked up at her friend and said, "Patrick came over last night. For what reason, I'm not so sure. But whatever the reason, he showed up, egged me on, and..." Robin paused, causing Liz to motion for her to continue. So Robin did. "And I told him about Stone and my HIV status."

Liz was quiet for a few minutes as the two women ate their ice cream. Finally Liz asked, "How did he take it?"

"Surprisingly well, actually. Shocked the hell out of me." Robin admitted. "And then he tried to kiss me...again."

"That ogre!" Liz said, sarcastically. "How dare he show you that he's not scared away by your HIV status by kissing you? He has some nerve."

"Are you done?" Robin asked with a grin while Liz giggled through her next bite of sherbert.

"So," Liz teased, "the kissing wasn't as good this time and you were avoiding him all day in case he asked you for a performance evaluation?"

"No." Robin said, flicking some ice cream off her spoon in Liz's direction. Liz ducked and continued giggling. They acted like such children when they were together and Robin enjoyed every minute of it. But with Lucky and Cameron at home, Liz and Robin didn't spend nearly as much time together as they would like. "I was very busy all day. I wasn't avoiding him." Robin tried to reason with her, but Liz wasn't buying it.

"What aren't you telling me?" Liz asked, her tone turning serious.

"It was a pity kiss." Robin said, matter of factly. "Intended to ease an awkward moment."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know him." Robin answered. "It was all about his ego. What better way to prove his prowess with women than by bringing a little excitement into the life of the poor, little HIV+ Robin Scorpio?"

"Or," Liz said slowly, looking over Robin's shoulder at the front door of Kelly's, "by taking Emily to dinner."

"What?" Robin asked, turning to look in the direction Liz was staring. Sure enough, through the front door of Kelly's walked Patrick and Emily. Patrick and Robin's eyes met and Patrick smirked before helping Emily off with her coat. Robin turned back to look at Liz and asked, "What's going on here? I thought Emily was busy batting her eyelashes at Sonny?"

Liz shrugged her shoulders, not taking her eyes off Patrick and Emily. "I have no idea what this is all about. She didn't tell me a thing."

"Great." Robin said, slumping down in her chair. "This is just what I need."

"Why should you care?" Liz asked, a sly smile on her knowing face. "I mean, now that he's busying himself with Emily it means he has less time to harass you. Just what you wanted, right?"

"Right." Robin answered, spooning more ice cream into her mouth and vowing not to turn around.


	6. Let the Games Begin

**Chapter Six - Let the Games Begin**

"...and so then I decided that medical school was the best place for me." Emily finished what she was saying and looked up at her date, Dr. Patrick Drake. But, to her dismay, he was not paying the least bit of attention to what she was saying. He was looking in her direction, but she realized that his attention was focused elsewhere. Over her shoulder. Emily snuck a look over her shoulder and realized that Liz was sitting at a table behind them. Liz gave her a questioning look and Emily mouthed that she would talk to her later. Then Liz pointed to the bar and Emily followed Patrick's gaze to where Robin was at the bar talking on Mike's telephone. Emily had known that Robin and Patrick worked closely together on Jason's surgery, but she had no idea that there was something more between them.

Turning back around, Emily said, "Patrick?" No response. "Patrick?"

Patrick tore his eyes away from Robin and looked back at Emily. "Hmmm?"

Emily smiled a strained smile and said, "I don't feel like I have your full attention. Is something on your mind?" _Or someone?_ she wondered.

Patrick shook his head and recovered quickly, saying, "No. I was just reading the specials board above the bar. I haven't been here yet and was wondering what they had."

Emily nodded, but obviously didn't believe him. "So then I guess you noticed Robin Scorpio standing over there by the bar."

"Um...oh, yeah. There she is." Patrick said, pretending to notice Robin for the first time. "Do you know her?"

"Sure. She dated my brother for a long time. I was a lot younger then and things were complicated between Jason and the family, but I always liked her."

"What happened between them?" Patrick asked, looking at Robin again.

"Which time?" Emily chuckled. "The first time Robin wanted Jason to quit working for Sonny and he refused, so she left for school. But they got back together and then Carly came into the picture. She is a troublemaker by nature and she really started to meddle in Robin and Jason's relationship. To make a long story short, Jason believed that Robin had betrayed him and pushed her away. She took her cue and left for Paris." Emily looked up at Patrick and narrowed her eyes, "Why?"

Patrick shook his head. "No reason. She's just a little difficult to get to know, so I was just wondering what made her tick."

"She's..." Emily began.

"HIV+." Patrick finished for her. "I know." Casting one last look at Robin, Patrick finally looked down at his menu and said, "Shall we order?"

Over at the table behind them, Robin returned to Liz shaking her head. "Is Maxie okay?" Liz asked, referring to the phone call Robin had received from her cousin.

"Wardrobe crisis." Robin grinned, sitting back down in front of her friend. "Apparently she has a big date with Jessie at the Metro Court and had absolutely nothing "grown up" to wear. She wanted to know if she could go over to my apartment and raid my closet."

"Ah, to be nineteen again." Liz mused.

"Actually, nineteen wasn't all that great for me." Robin said, rolling her eyes. "I'll stay the age I am, thank you."

"I don't think he likes her." Liz said suddenly.

"Jessie?" Robin asked, confused. "He's crazy about Maxie..."

"Not Jessie." Liz whispered. "Patrick. I don't think he likes Emily. He doesn't look like he's paying any attention to her at all."

"Will you stop watching them." Robin hissed, leaning over the table closer to Liz. "That's none of our business."

"He doesn't like her." Liz repeated, shaking her head. "He's not even close to looking at her the way I've seen him look at you. He's not interested."

"Can we just get out of here?" Robin asked, taking out her wallet and throwing some money down on the table.

"I have an idea. Follow my lead." Liz grinned and stood up. But instead of heading for the door, she headed right for Patrick and Emily's table. "Hey guys." She greeted them cheerily.

Emily looked up at Liz and smiled. "Hi Elizabeth. You know Patrick Drake, don't you?"

Patrick and Liz exchanged a knowing look before Patrick said, "We've met."

Ignoring his tone, Liz continued talking. "Robin and I were just taking the edge off a long week with some ice cream. Are you two doing the same thing?"

Emily began to answer, but Patrick said loudly, "Actually, the charming Ms. Quartermaine and I are on a date."

Emily looked strangely over at Patrick and then said quickly, "Would you two care to join us for dinner?"

Liz shook her head and pulled Robin closer to the table. "Actually, we just decided that ice cream wasn't quite what we needed to put this past week in the proper prospective. So, we're going to meet Lucky and Jax over at Metro Court for drinks." Robin gave Liz a questioning look as she continued talking, "That Jasper Jacks can lift any woman's spirits with his good looks and sexy accent. Plus he's such a decent guy...for a millionaire." Liz looked right at Patrick when she said that, but Patrick was busy looking at Robin. Robin, meanwhile, was looking out the front window. But Liz would not be deterred. "Now, I'm a happily married woman, but my girl Robin here is in for a very eventful evening."

Emily smiled, a confused look still on her face. "Well, have fun."

"Don't worry," Liz said, herding Robin out the door, "we will." She turned back to wink at Patrick and gave him her best _You Just Blew It_ look.

Outside of Kelly's, Robin turned on Liz. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Showing Dr. Arrogant that two can play his little game. Just wait." Liz said, taking Robin's arm and heading for home. "The thought of you having drinks with the rich and handsome Jasper Jacks , in the hotel he owns, will completely ruin Patrick's evening."


	7. So Many Men, So Little Time

_Sorry for the long wait...things have been crazy so far! Thanks for all your reviews...I really appreciate them! Here's a little more to the story..._

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**Chapter Seven - So Many Men, So Little Time**

"Okay, Jeremy, I think we've got you all fixed up." Robin said, coming out of a hospital exam room with her 9 year old patient. She checked the bandage she had applied a few moments before and smiled down at him. "But the next time you have a pinata at your birthday party, make sure the other kids are done swinging at it before you dive for the candy, okay?"

Jeremy nodded, hugged Robin, and ran off past the nurse's station to find his mother. Shaking her head, Robin joined Emily at the nurse's desk with a smile on her face. "We go from life altering brain surgery to bandaging up a little boy's head without missing a beat, don't we?" She said, filling out Jeremy's paperwork. "Never a dull moment here at GH."

Emily smiled at her and asked, "How much longer do you have to be on duty?"

Checking her watch, Robin said, "Just another hour, thank goodness. This week has been crazy."

"So, what are you gonna do tonight?" Emily asked, trying to ease her way into this conversation.

"Oh, the usual." Robin said, not missing a beat or looking up from her paperwork. "Get drunk, meet a random guy at the bar and have a night of wild sex until I pass out from sheer exhaustion."

Emily grinned and asked, "So it's takeout and a hot bath, then?"

"Yeah." Robin grinned "Actually, I can't wait to go home and get into bed. What do you think the chances are of George Clooney waiting there for me?"

"About the same as Brad Pitt waiting at home for me." Emily joked. She hesitated for a moment and then said, "Listen, Robin, about the other night at Kelly's..." Robin looked up at Emily and she licked her and continued, "If I had known that there was something going on between you and Patrick Drake, I would never have asked him out."

"You asked him out?" Robin asked, almost ignoring the first part of her statement.

"It was stupid." Emily shook her head and kept going. "I was just feeling lonely and he was flirting with me..."

"Say no more. I understand." Robin said, cutting her off. Then, remembering how Emily had started this part of the conversation, she said, "There's nothing going on between me and Patrick. He's all yours if you want him."

"Really?" Emily asked.

"You sound surprised." Robin said, noting the tone in Emily's voice. "Patrick and I work together and that's all."

"I just thought..." Emily searched for the right words. "I mean, I don't want him because he..." Again she paused, and looked at Robin helplessly. "Are you sure there is nothing going on between you two?"

"Absolutely sure." Robin said, looking away.

Emily hedged for a minute and then said, "Because he spent the entire evening talking to me about you. And then when you left for drinks with Jax, he was...I mean, he seemed..."

"What?" Robin wanted to know.

"He seemed pissed." Emily confessed.

"Good." Robin said and smiled. Then quickly, she said, "I know. That sounded awful. But, he takes such delight in torturing me that messing with him brings about a certain kind of pleasure."

Emily smiled and said, "Well, you remember how in elementary school the boys would always torture the girls they really liked because they didn't know any other way of getting their attention? Maybe that's what's going on with you and Patrick."

"Emily, elementary school was a long time ago." Robin said, dismissing her words. "And trust me, Patrick Drake doesn't torture the women he likes. He sleeps with them. It's part of his charm."

"You don't realize how beautiful you are, do you?" Emily suddenly asked.

Robin laughed a little uncomfortably. "Where did that come from?"

"I'm sorry." Emily said with a chuckle. "I don't mean to freak you out, but you just can't seem to accept that this guy likes you."

"I'm not like you, Emily. I don't have guys falling all over me and having to make a choice between them." Robin said, almost wistfully. "When men see me, they see HIV. I've been through it before...one time too many."

"Maybe this time will be different." Emily said. Robin smiled at her and shrugged her shoulders, then went back to her paperwork. Realizing that Robin was done with the conversation, Emily said, "Well, I'd better get going. I have some things to do. I just wanted to make sure that things were okay between us."

Robin looked up and said, "Things were always okay, Em. See you later." Emily smiled again and walked off to find Monica, leaving Robin alone with her paperwork. There always seemed to be more paperwork than patients.

"Why do people think we are dating?"

Robin looked up, startled, and saw Jax leaning on the counter of the nurse's station with a grin on his face. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

Jax replied, "Well, I have been here all of ten minutes and already three people have congratulated me on our relationship. Then each one of them told me that I'd better treat you right."

"You have got to be kidding me." Robin groaned, closing the chart she was working on. "I am so sorry, Jax. This has gotten out of hand. Liz and I were..."

Jax chuckled and waved away her explanation. "Forget it. I don't think I want to know, after all. Especially if it starts with the phrase _Liz and I_." Robin playfully smacked him in the arm and Jax laughed. "But, I have a feeling that it has something to do with a certain young doctor from New York who was definitely sizing me up while warning me to be good to you."

"Patrick Drake." Robin filled him in.

"Do you like him?" Jax wanted to know.

"He's a jerk." Robin said.

"Aren't we all?" Jax asked, but then had to step aside while a nurse handed Robin two more charts for her to look over. "Jumping right back into the swing of things, aren't we kiddo?"

"It's been crazy." Robin said, looking over the new charts.

"Which must explain why I haven't seen you since the train crash." Then, with a twinkle in his eye, Jax whispered, "Except, of course, for the drinks we didn't have together the other night."

Robin grinned at him. "I'm sorry. I meant to call you or stop by the Metro Court, but I really have been busy with Jason's surgery, Manny, getting settled..."

"Enough said." Jax said, interrupting her with a smile. "But I think I can remedy that. Since people already think we are dating, why don't you accompany me to a dinner party I have to attend for a client on Friday night."

"I don't know..." Robin hedged.

"Come on. It'll give us a chance to catch up and it'll give me a chance to impress my client when I show up with a beautiful and brilliant doctor on my arm." Jax grinned with delight at his idea. "Besides, it's a formal affair. How long has it been since you've had a chance to get all gussied up?"

Putting the charts down, Robin smiled a tired smile. "Too long." She admitted. "Okay, then. I would love to attend that dinner party with you."

"Great." Jax said. "I'll pick you up at eight."

"Oh, wait!" Robin said, glancing at the schedule posted near the counter. "I'm on duty until 7:30 on Friday. But I can change in the locker room after my shift. "

"Then I'll pick you up here." Jax said, leaning over the counter to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "You're a lifesaver. See you on Friday." Jax turned around and almost ran right into an approaching Patrick Drake. "Dr. Drake." Jax greeted him before running to catch the elevator before it's doors closed.

"So that's Jasper Jax, hmmm?" Patrick asked, joining Robin behind the desk at the nurse's station. "He doesn't seem to be your type."

"How do you figure that?" Robin asked.

"Well, he's not in the mob." Patrick said slyly. Robin rolled her eyes at him and went back to her paperwork. "So, drinks were not enough for the two of you? Now it's a dinner party? I misjudged you, Dr. Scorpio. You get out more than I thought."

"Yes, you did misjudge me. More than once." Robin said, putting down her pen and turning to face him. "Jax is an old friend of mine. I am doing him a favor and accompanying him to a business..." Robin shook her head and then said, "Why am I explaining any of this to you?"

"Because you are a puzzle, Dr. Scorpio. One that constantly needs to be explained to people." He smirked.

"Why do you do that?" Robin asked, changing the subject. "Why do you always call me Dr. Scorpio? I have a first name and I know you know it."

"Because we have a strictly professional relationship, remember? Those were your terms, correct?" Patrick reminded her. "Since I wouldn't want you to mistake any acts of kindness for pity, or God forbid compassion and friendship, I figured that first names were the most professional approach." Then, slyly he added, "Unless you want to change the rules yet again."

"I have rounds to make." Robin said, ignoring him and grabbing her charts off the counter. Then without another word she headed off down the hall with Patrick watching her go, his trademark smirk pasted on his face.


	8. Amazing

**Chapter Eight - Amazing**

"You should wear this color more often. It looks fabulous on you." Liz said, applying a little more eyeshadow to Robin's eyelid. "Keep your eyes closed." Lizreminded and Robin promptly flinched. "Hold still or I will end up poking your eye out!" Liz scolded, switching to the other eye.

"You don't have to use up your entire dinner break doing my make-up." Robin said, trying to keep her eyes closed. "I have done this by myself before, you know."

"I know." Liz replied, picking up the mascara from Robin's make-up bag. "But this is fun. More fun than eating in the hospital cafeteria. And, I haven't done someone else's makeup since high school. Open your eyes." Robin did as Liz commanded and Liz brushed her eyelashes with the mascara wand. Stepping back to look at her work, Liz said, "Beautiful. What do you think?"

Robin stood up from the bench in the ladies' locker room and checked her reflection in the mirror. Her face broke out into a huge smile. "Is that really me?" she asked.

"It's all you, girl." Liz said with a smile. "All I did was add the face paint."

The door to the locker room opened and in came Emily, out of breath. "Good, you're still here." She said, with a grin. "I was hoping you didn't leave before I got back. Here. These will look great with that dress." Emily handed Robin two boxes...the first held the most beautiful silver, diamond, and onyx necklace she had ever seen. The second held the matching earrings.

"Emily, these are beautiful." Robin breathed. "I'm going to be worried all night about losing them." Emily came around Robin to fasten the necklace around her neck while Robin attached the earrings. "I can't believe you guys are doing this. Most brides don't get treatment this good on their wedding day, and I'm just going to dinner."

"Listen to her. Just going to dinner." Emily teased. "Jax is taking you in his private helicopter to Manhattan for dinner at Cipriani's with clients that are as powerful as modern day Kennedy's. This is big!"

"It would have all the makings of a true romantic evening, except for the fact that Jax is like your brother." Liz said with a grin. "Too bad you're not going with Patrick instead."

"I knew there was something going on between you and him!" Emily squealed with delight.

"Not tonight, okay you two? Let's get through one evening without mentioning Patrick Drake." Robin pleaded, pulling her dress over her head. "Can someone zip me up?" Liz moved behind Robin to zip up her dress as Robin looked in the mirror again. "God, I haven't worn this dress in ages. I'm surprised it still fits." Sliding her feet into her heels, Robin turned around to face her two friends. "So, how do I look?"

"Wow." Liz and Emily said in unison and all three women began to laugh. "Jax's clients aren't going to know what hit them." Liz said.

"Yeah," Emily agreed. "Jax is going to regret inviting you because once those guys get a look at you... the last thing on their minds is going to be business."

Robin giggled. "You two are very good for my ego."

Liz checked her watch and said, "If I am going to get any dinner before my break is over, I'd better get down to the cafeteria." She came over and hugged Robin. "Have a great time tonight. You deserve it."

"I have to go, too." Emily said, moving in for her hug. "I have to pick Michael up from karate class and he gets antsy if I'm late. Have fun."

"Thanks guys." Robin said, watching them walk out the door. She turned back to the mirror and added a coat of lip gloss over her lipstick. Looking around for her wrap, she realized she must have left it at the nurses station. Glancing up at the clock on the locker room wall, Robin saw that she had a few minutes before Jax arrived to pick her up.

Making her way down the hall to the nurse's station, Robin's heels clicked with each step on the linoleum flooring. That was probably why she didn't realize that Patrick was behind her until she heard him say, "All ready for the big date, Dr. Scorpio?"

Robin spun around and Patrick fell silent. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked at her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. They stood there staring at each other for a few moments before Patrick recovered and said, "You clean up nicely."

Robin put her lip gloss back in her evening clutch and looked up at him. "That almost sounded sincere, Dr. Drake." She was glad that her voice did not falter for there was no denying the shivers going up and down her body as she watched his eyes travel all over her and take it all in...the dress, the hair, the make-up. There was no denying the attraction in his eyes. Secretly, she suddenly felt that it was all worth it.

"You don't think I can be sincere?" Patrick asked, teasingly. "That hurts."

"I'm sure you'll get over it." Robin shot back. "And I'm sure that there is a long line of Port Charles' finest ladies just waiting to help you."

"Jealous?" He asked with a smirk.

"I was just about to ask you the same question." Robin said coyly. "You know, Dr. Drake, it's not good etiquette to dig around for information about me while out on a date with another woman."

"Are you really lecturing me on date etiquette, Dr. Scorpio? You...with the non-existent social life."

"Well, whatever I've got was good enough to get me a helicopter ride to New York and dinner at Cipriani's." Robin retorted, a satisfied smile on her face.

"With a guy who has as much personality as that wall over there." Patrick said, not bothering to hide his jealousy. "I guess there are some things money just can't buy."

"Jax is very charming. Must you insult everyone who..."

"Does he make you feel like this every time he is close to you?" Patrick asked, stepping closer to her and putting his hands on her waist. "Does he send shivers through you?" He whispered, running his hands over the goosebumps that were forming on her arms. "Does he remind you that you are still a hot blooded, American woman?"

"Jax is..."

"This isn't really about Jax anymore, is it?" Patrick whispered, his breath hot on her skin. Every nerve in Robin's body was on high alert and she could feel her breath becoming ragged. She hadn't felt like this in a long time. He was right...she felt like a woman.

Patrick wrapped his arms around her and could feel when she finally gave in to her desire and relaxed. When she did, he inched closer and closer until their lips brushed against each others.

He moved his lips softly at first, feeling, tasting the taste of her sweet mouth, drawing in the sensation of her lips against his. But then the kiss deepened and became more passionate and demanding.. Patrick teased Robin's lips further apart with the tip of his tongue, moving it slowly on them, caressing her upper lip, then the lower, finally diving in between. Robin's arms finally found their way around Patrick's neck, her balance shattered under the fierce force of the kiss.

Patrick's hands couldn't resist touching her, his fingertips itching to feel her burning skin under them. They started moving, tracing their way up Robin's arms, until they reached her collarbone, then her neck, and they finally cupping her face. He took her lower lip between his teeth, biting it briefly, just hard enough to make a silent groan escape from Robin's throat. Or was it his? He wasn't sure anymore.

From somewhere behind them, Robin heard someone clear their throat. Her eyes flew open as she realized that Jax was standing just a few feet away from them. With a gasp Patrick and Robin's lips parted and their bodies pulled apart. Patrick's body jerked, as if startled by the sudden realization of what had happened, and he reluctantly dropped his hands to his side. "I'm sorry." He mumbled. "I didn't mean to..." His breath was a pant, his chest rising up and down as he drew in air. Robin simply stared into his deep brown eyes, as widened as she imagined her own were.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Jax said, running his hands through his hair with a grin. "But we have to get going. The helicopter pilot has already filed his flight plan and we don't want to throw off his schedule. Are you ready, Robin?"

"Um, yeah." Robin replied, avoiding looking at Patrick. "I think I left my wrap at the nurse's station desk. Let me just get it."

"You can fix your lipstick in the car." Jax said with a grin and Robin threw a death look at him over her shoulder as she hurried down the hall.

Jax turned back to face Patrick, who was wiping the lipstick off his own lips. Patrick looked up at a grinning Jax and said, "I'm not moving in on your turf, man. That was really more about friendship than anything else."

Jax smirked and said, "Really? Because I've never seen her kiss any of her other friends like that."


	9. Mama Said There Would Be Days Like This

**Chapter Nine - Mama Said There Would Be Days Like This**

The hospital attendants pulled the IV out of Frank Lewis' arm and disconnected the paddles from his chest. One of them looked at Robin and said, "You gonna call it, Dr. Scorpio?"

Robin silently looked down at Frank's face, so familiar to her after all these weeks of treatment, and shook her head. It wasn't supposed to end this way, not this time.

"Robin?" Liz said, looking at her friend and knowing that this one was hard for her.

Robin looked at Liz, then looked up at the clock on the wall and said in a clear voice, "Time of Death - 3:47 a.m."

As Liz and the other attendants finished working with the body, Robin turned and walked out of the room. She walked right past the nurse's station desk and didn't even slow down. Patrick looked up from his paperwork and smirked at her. "You know, Dr. Scorpio, I was just..."

Robin held up her hand to him as she walked by. "Don't." She said quietly, not even looking at him. "I can't deal with you now."

For the first time since they had met, Patrick actually did as she said and didn't say another word as he watched her walk to the elevator. When the elevator doors closed with Robin safely inside, Patrick looked questioningly at Liz as she walked up to the nurse's station. "Frank Lewis died on the table."

Patrick nodded and then looked toward the elevators. "So, where is she going?"

"Probably to walk it off." Liz said, taking out Frank's paperwork and filling out what she could. Looking back at Patrick, she warned him, "Lay off, okay? Don't mess with her right now about getting too close to the patients. This is hard enough as it is."

"You have no faith in me at all, do you?" He asked.

"You like to annoy her, Patrick, that's no big secret." Liz said tiredly. "Which is amusing for the most part. But not today."

Up on the hospital roof, Robin pushed open the door and stepped out into the cold night air. It was colder out than she thought, but Robin decided that the cold air would do her some good. Propping the door open, Robin walked to the edge of the roof and looked out over her hometown. Standing, looking over Port Charles, she felt the most at home. The wind blew, making her hair as wild as horses. The city seemed so peaceful, having no idea that another one of it's citizens had just died. And Robin couldn't save him.

The nurses had long shut off the beeping monitors in the room, but Robin still heard them ringing in her ears. She twisted her hands, which had formed into ice, trying to steady them. She told herself not to cry. Crying solved nothing. It never had. She had learned that long ago. She should be used to this by now...the inevitable end of human life. She was a doctor and he was her patient. That was all. She went over those thoughts in her mind to try and hold back the tears, but no. A single tear formed in her eye and came to rest on her cheek, where it froze like the rest of her body.

She didn't hear the roof door open or his footsteps approach. What she did hear was his soft voice say, "The hospital cafeteria is having a special on hot chocolate tonight. Made with white chocolate. It looks funny, but it tastes great. And it's hot."

Robin swiped at her tears before turning around to face him. She silently accepted the cup of hot liquid that Patrick offered her and then went to sit on a nearby bench. "You're going to freeze out here." He said, coming to stand behind her and placing her coat around her shoulders.

"I'll be fine." She said quietly, not meeting his eyes.

"Yes, because that damn pride of yours is going to keep you so warm, right?" He joked, taking the cup out of her hands so that she could put her arms through her coat and button it up.

Taking the cup of hot chocolate back from him, she asked, "Why are you being nice to me?"

"Because it's about 4 o'clock in the morning and I haven't seen a pillow in over 24 hours. I guess lack of sleep causes me to behave out of character." He said, hoping to make her smile. It didn't work. "And you're a pretty good kisser." He teased. "I figured that if I gave you liquid chocolate and played on your vulnerable moment, you might kiss me some more."

"You kissed me." Robin corrected him. "And that won't happen again."

"You know, I think I've heard that from you before." Patrick said with a grin.

"This time I mean it."

"Okay." He said, not believing her for a second.

"Don't patronize me." She said, stubbornly. "Or feel sorry for me. I can deal with this."

"I have no doubt." Patrick said, surprising her. "You just don't have to deal with it alone."

They sat in silence for a little while, sipping their hot chocolates and looking over the lights of Port Charles. Finally, Patrick said, "Before she died, my mother used to tell me about the strength of women." He smiled in remembrance and continued, "A woman's strength... she would whisper...a woman's strength is what she gives, not what she takes away. You gave Frank Lewis all you had. The best of who you are. Your strength."

"It wasn't enough." Robin said, her lip quivering as the tears welled up in her eyes. She would jump off this roof before she let him see her weakness, so she turned away.

Quietly, Patrick said, "You know, there are two kinds of doctors: the kind that get rid of their feelings, and the kind that hold on to them. I get rid of them. It's just who I am. How I work. But you hold on to them. And if you're going to hold on to your feelings, you're going to go through this every once in a while. That's part of it. But helping people is more important than how we feel. And you've got more patients downstairs who need your strength and your help." He stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof and said, "So you mourn for Frank Lewis and then you get back to work."

"I don't need lessons on how to deal with being a doctor from you." Robin said angrily, her sorrow over Frank's death coming out as anger towards Patrick.

He turned back to look at her, ignoring her anger as if he sensed that she had not really meant her harsh words. "You did all that you and medicine could do for him, Robin. You of all people know that life isn't always fair. So when you do everything you can, sometimes more than you thought you could, you've got to walk away knowing you fought the good fight." Robin looked up at him finally and he said quietly, "You fought the good fight, Robin. And tomorrow you'll fight another one. It's what you do best."

Again the silence filled the air between them, but this time it was a comfortable silence as they looked up into the early morning sky. Quietly, Robin said into the darkness, "Seventeen."

"Seventeen what?" He asked her, still looking up at the stars.

"I was seventeen when I first found out that life doesn't always work out the way you had planned." She said, looking over at him.

"The day you were diagnosed?" He asked.

"The day I found out Stone was HIV+." she replied.

Patrick came back to sit next to her on the bench and said, "I have a few years on you. I found out at 20. When I learned that my dad wasn't the man I thought he was."

Robin looked back up into the night sky and said softly, "Imagine what the world would be like if we could write our own stories." Patrick nodded and the two smiled at each other before heading back downstairs to finish their shifts.


	10. Movie Night

_Thanks for the wonderful reviews everyone! I am so glad you like this fic! I am completely obsessed with this couple...they are the only reason I even watch GH anymore! I won't make you wait so long for this update! Here's a little more Robin/Patrick cuteness..._

* * *

**Chapter Ten - Movie Night**

Robin surveyed the contents of Uncle Mac's coffee table and grinned at Georgie. "Let's see, we have pizza from Little Nemo's, Doritos, sodas, and cheesecake."

"And we have George Clooney looking his finest in _One Fine Day_." Georgie said, picking up the DVD off the couch and waving it at Robin. "The makings of a perfect girls night in!"

"Now if Maxie would just get her butt back here with the ice cream, we could get this party started." Robin said, flopping down on the couch with the bag of Doritos.

As if on cue, the front door opened and they heard Maxie's voice in the foyer. "It's about time." Georgie mumbled. "The ice cream better not be melted."

"Hey Maxie, come on!" Robin called into the hallway. "We finally tore you away from Jesse for one evening and now Clooney's waiting for us to turn him on!"

Robin and Georgie were giggling when Maxie appeared in the living room doorway...with Patrick Drake in tow. "Look who I found sitting all by himself with a cup of coffee at Kelley's." Maxie announced, looking at Robin with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I don't think that I've ever seen anything sadder than a handsome doctor sitting all alone on a Saturday night. So, I brought him home with me."

Robin pulled her legs up underneath her and grabbed the afghan off the back of the couch to wrap around her, much to Patrick's amusement. For Robin was wearing her light blue, flannel snowman pajama bottoms and an old Yale t-shirt. Patrick thought she looked absolutely adorable. "This is a _girls _night in, Maxie." Robin said, frowning at her cousin.

"Oh, come on Robin! He's cute! Can't we keep him?" Maxie pleaded with a laugh, doing her best little girl impersonation.

"I like George Clooney." Patrick teased. "But I like Michelle Pfeiffer more."

Robin shook her head and stood up. She took the gallon of ice cream out of Maxie's hands and turned toward the kitchen. "This is going to melt."

Patrick winked at Maxie and followed Robin into the kitchen. "I'll help." He said with a grin.

"What are you doing here?" Robin asked, pulling some bowls out of the cabinet.

"I was invited." Patrick said simply, pulling the lid off the ice cream container. He allowed his eyes to travel down Robin's adorable form and winked, "Nice pj's."

Ignoring his sarcasm, Robin said, "You were alone on a Saturday night? What happened to all those nurses you flirt with at the hospital? Or Emily?"

Patrick grinned and pulled a bag out of his coat pocket. He handed it to Robin and said, "I bought you a present." Robin looked at the bag and then back up at Patrick. "Actually, it's for Riley."

"Riley?" She asked, opening the bag. A slow smile spread over her face as she pulled a gourmet doggie treat out of the bag. "Is this from that new doggie bakery down by the docks? You actually went in there?"

Patrick shrugged and said, "I've heard that if you want to get in good standing with the master, make friends with the animal."

"You want to get in good standing with Riley's master?" Robin asked quietly.

Patrick smiled at her, took a step closer, and said quietly, "Actually, you know, the other night, on the hospital roof, I was thinking of asking you out."

"Come on, you two!" Georgie called from the other room. "George is waiting!"

"We're coming." Robin called back. Then to Patrick, she said, "You know, the other night on the hospital roof, when you were thinking of asking me out?" Patrick grinned and nodded. So Robin continued by saying, "Well, I was thinking of saying yes."

"Good." He said, picking up the bowls of ice cream and heading into the living room. "George is waiting."


	11. Pictures of You

**Chapter Eleven - Pictures of You**

"Why don't you just admit that you had fun tonight?" Patrick asked with a laugh. "It won't kill you to admit that you had a good time on a date."

"It might." Robin said with a grin, taking another sip of her coffee. "I have to say, though, that I am pleasantly surprised to see that you were not half as arrogant tonight as I thought you would be. Although for a moment there when the waiter screwed up our order and then dropped one of those little potatoes in your lap, I thought you were going to lose it."

"Do you know how much these pants cost?" He asked, looking down at the stain on his upper thigh. "They were not meant to have a hot, buttered potato dropped on them." Robin laughed at the look on his face and he had to crack a smile, even though he was not happy about his new pants. "Besides, I was trying to impress you with my good behavior. Are you impressed?"

Robin looked at him coyly and said, "Maybe."

"Come on!" Patrick protested, "I have tried really hard here...dinner at the best restaurant in town, tickets to the exclusive performance of Chris Rock doing his comedy live...which were very hard to get, by the way...and now coffee and dessert at Kelley's. You can't give me any credit here?"

"Where we go doesn't impress me." Robin said with a smile and then said quietly, "You impress me."

"Well, my surgical skills are..." Patrick began, puffing up at her compliment.

"This has nothing to do with your surgical skills." Robin laughed. She played with her coffee cup and Patrick waited patiently for her finish. "Whenever most people find out that I am HIV, they treat me like I'm made of glass. Like something that they could possibly do or say is going to make me break. For as far as we've come with this disease, sometimes I feel like we haven't come that far at all in some respects. But you never did that. You never backed off or treated me like you were afraid. Even when I didn't give you the benefit of the doubt."

"You're not that scary." Patrick teased, seemingly uncomfortable with her words of flattery.

"I am to some people."

"Some people are idiots." He said quietly and when Robin looked into his eyes, she believed he meant it.

Quickly changing the subject, Robin said, "So, you're into photography? That's interesting."

Patrick chuckled at her sudden change in mood and said, "Yes, it is. I needed something to occupy my time that wouldn't damage my hands."

"Something besides chasing women, you mean?" Robin teased, smiling up at Mike as he poured her another cup of coffee. Before walking away, he winked and Robin grinned as she took a sip of her newly warmed coffee.

"What can I say?" He replied with a smirk. "I appreciate beauty. In all it's forms."

"Well I would love to see your work sometime." Robin said, meaning it.

"How about right now?" He asked and Robin looked at him in confusion. "My portfolio is upstairs."

Robin almost choked on her sip of coffee. "You're renting a room at Kelley's?" She asked with a laugh.

"It's only temporary. Until I find a place that I like." He said. "Do you want to see my pictures or not?"

"OK. Go get them." Robin said.

Patrick shook his head. "You have to come up."

"What?" She asked and he smirked.

"Calm down." He said with a laugh. "This is the digital age. My prints are still in the dark room at my place in New York, but I brought my computerized pictures with me. They're on my computer and I am not lugging that thing down those stairs."

"Then I don't want to see them."

Patrick cocked his head and grinned at her. "What's the matter, Robin? Afraid you won't be able to control yourself when you're alone in a small room with me?"

"On the contrary," Robin returned, "it's you and your precious hands that I'm worried about. If I remember correctly, you're the only one who has been making any moves in this relationship."

"And," Patrick countered, "if I remember correctly, you have enjoyed every one of my moves." Robin blushed and looked down at the table. Patrick tried a new tactic. "What if I promised to be a perfect gentleman while you look at my pictures? Then would you come?"

"I don't trust you."

"Well, there's a shocker." He said wryly. "I swear." He promised. "I swear on my reputation as a surgeon that I will keep my hands to myself while we are in my room."

Robin regarded him for a moment and then decided to let her guard down. "I'm holding you to that. Mike is Sonny's father and if I scream, he will have Sonny's men here so fast that you..."

"I swear, you can take the fun out of any conversation!" Patrick said emphatically and rolled his eyes. Then, with a sexy grin he added, "But just for the record, some women enjoy it when I make them scream."

Now it was Robin's turn to roll her eyes as she stood up. "Let's go." she said, heading for the stairs. Noticing Mike's interested grin as they walked by, Robin said, "It's not what you think. We will be right back." When Mike laughed, she said, "Seriously."

Patrick's room looked just like the rest of them at Kelley's Boarding House, simple and unassuming, and Patrick had adding nothing to make it his own. A book lay open on a bed, revealing a multitude of pictures. "This is what you couldn't lug downstairs?" She asked him pointedly.

"That isn't my portfolio. That's just family stuff." He said, moving over to his computer. But Robin was interested in the photo album on the bed. She knew that it's presence on the bed meant that Patrick must have been looking at it recently and that intrigued her. She carefully looked through the makeshift book. Each picture had a title and a description written underneath in Patrick's familiar handwriting, showing a lifetime of moments captured forever, many faces and emotions displayed.

Patrick looked over at her while his computer booted up. She smiled brightly, her face glowing in the dim lamp light. The carefree look in her eyes and complete ease of her expression made him pause. He had never seen her like this. She was simply beautiful.

Robin, sensing Patrick's gaze, turned her head upward to meet his eyes with her own. "Smile." Patrick said, capturing her beauty with his camera and a bittersweet smile flirting on his lips.

Robin's hands immediately covered her face as she giggled. "Don't." She said. "I don't like having my picture taken."

"Why not?" He asked, aiming his camera and snapping another picture of her. He lowered his camera and asked quietly, "You don't know how stunningly beautiful you are, do you?"

Robin could feel the blush creep into her cheeks as she said, "It's not that. I just..." Unable to find the words to explain, Robin looked back down at his photo album. "These are beautiful pictures..."

Robin stopped talking when she felt Patrick come and sit on the bed next to her. "Look at me." He said quietly, studying her with different eyes. An artist's eyes. He put his hand under her chin and lifted her face toward his. She could feel the shivers go down her spine when he brushed her hair off her shoulder and re-positioned her shoulders in an artist's pose. Lifting the camera back up to his eye, Patrick stood up again and brought her into focus with his lens. "Trust me." He said, clicking away with his camera. With every click, Robin started to lose her inhibitions and started to play for his camera. He loved the way she smiled seductively at him and casually shook her hair back free of her face, her femininity a perfect contrast to the masculine surroundings of his room. Posing for him made her feel more like a woman than she had in a long time. "You, my dear, are a natural." He said, continuing to take her picture. "Simply beautiful."

It was those words that seemed to snap her back into reality. She sat up and the look on her face became serious. "Stop," she stated in a soft, dangerous tone, "saying things like that to me. Stop always meeting my gaze when I look up. Stop defending me to Jason and Carly and offering me companionship when I have a hard day." Her words were almost bitter as she spit them out. " Stop seeking me out just to tease and annoy me. Just leave me be. And," she turned to level another glare at him, "stop watching me with…such intense fire and tenderness in your eyes. No man has dared to look at me that way in a long time and I hate you when you do that. And," she paused before saying, "yet I love you when you do that."

He watched in fascination as her eyes widened in horror, realizing what she had just said. She blushed, then turned pale, looking like a deer cornered by a hunter. A second later she stood up and rushed to the door. But Patrick blocked her path.

"Why does this scare you so much?" He wanted to know, placing himself between her and the door. "Why are you so afraid to let your guard down and try living life instead of watching it go by."

"You don't know what you are talking about." She snapped, annoyed that he had trapped her in this room.

"Oh no?" He asked, raising his eyebrow at her.

"Ten years ago, I had to say goodbye to Stone. When he was sick, I spent hours watching him sleep. I sat there trying to memorize every last detail from the shape of his face to the way his hands felt in mine. I knew those memories would soon be all that I had left. After months of pain, he took his final breath right before my eyes." The tears began to well up in Robin's eyes as she said, "Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that it's really been ten years. Probably because I remember every moment as if it were yesterday. Sitting by Stone's side, watching him slowly slip away. I felt completely powerless." Robin turned away from Patrick and looked out the small window of his room as she continued, "I've always heard that it's better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all. I guess in a way that makes me one of the lucky ones. I know how it feels to be loved by someone so completely, that it shatters you when they're gone. I've had two great loves in my life and ultimately lost them both. First, Stone was taken away by AIDS and then a moment of truth cost me Jason. Even though I tried to deny it, I've spent years hiding in my work so I would never have to experience that kind of loss again." She let out a heartless little laugh and said, "Then you come along with your arrogant flirting and your sexy kisses, and you expect me just to jump when you say so. I don't work like that."

"You could work like that." He said quietly, moving behind her. "If you just let go of the past. I know you want to."

"You have no idea what I want!" She said, turning around to face him again. Again she tried to move past him, but he remained where he was and refused to move out of the way.

"So tell me." He said quietly. "Or better yet, show me." He looked down at her and caressed her lovely face with his hand. His thumb traced a path from her jawline to the fullness of her lips. He was crazy about this woman. But he was treading in dangerous waters. "The next move is yours." He whispered.

He expected her to pull away and run out of the room, but instead she simply looked up at him with frightened eyes and a trembling look. Patrick closed his eyes and felt her silky, moist lips on his and time stood still. She took his waiting lips in a gentle, needful kiss, running her fingers through his hair. He reached around and wrapped her small body in his embrace and she deepened the kiss. Their kiss seemed to last forever which sent electrifying sensation throughout their bodies. There was so much passion building up in just that single moment, it felt like eternity. After a long minute, he pulled away from her reluctantly, gasping for air.

Grinning, Patrick whispered, "You know, if I start to scream, Mike will have Sonny's goons up here in..."

Robin laughed and silenced him by capturing his lips in another sweet kiss.


	12. In the Still of the Night

**Chapter 12 - In the Still of the Night**

The early morning hours drew near and Robin was restless. She couldn't sleep, even though she had just worked nineteen straight hours at the hospital. She had been fighting off this cold for the last twenty four hours, but she was not having much success changing her own medications. It had started out as fatigue, but she was used to that. Living with HIV, she was often fatigued when her blood count was low. But now it had progressed to chills running through her body, yet she was sweating through her pajamas. A harsh fever was the last thing she needed right now...her case load at the hospital was too much.

Robin slipped quietly from her bed, wrapped an afghan around her shoulders and gazed out her window out at the dawn breaking over Port Charles. She loved this time of the morning, but right now she was just too miserable to appreciate it. Silently, Robin padded down the hall into her kitchen. Riley, keeping watch at the end of her bed, raised his head to see what was going on and then obediently followed her through the apartment. "It's okay, baby," Robin whispered to him, giving him an apologetic look. "It's not time to get up yet. Go lay down in your bed." She pointed to his bed, but Riley followed her into the kitchen. Her loyal companion knew that something was not right.

Robin set her tea kettle on the stove to boil and rustled through her cabinets for some herbal tea. She was going to have to make an appointment to see Tony or Monica later today to get some blood tests run. There was only so much she could do with self-medication and while working in the midst of all the infections and viruses at the hospital, Robin wasn't taking any chances. While waiting for the water to boil, she pulled open the refrigerator door, peered inside, and shook her head. The vast assortment of half empty take out containers screamed back at her that a single woman who works too much and has no social life lives in her house. Her mother would probably peer into her refrigerator and shake her head in disgust.

After fixing herself a cup of tea, Robin flopped down on her couch with her mug and turned on the television. She pulled the afghan tighter around her as Riley jumped up on the couch. Normally, Robin didn't let him on her furniture but she decided to make an exception this time. Dogs were so in tune with human emotions and could always sense when their masters were feeling bad. Riley settled his head in her lap and she ran her fingers over his soft fur. After flipping through channel after channel of infomercials, she finally settled on a rerun of an early _Gilmore Girls_ episode. Robin snuggled up in her afghan, enjoyed the warmth of her tea, and settled into the zany world of Rory and Lorelei Gilmore. It wasn't long before the antics of the make believe mother and daughter team on the T.V. screen had Robin missing Anna. The tears began to well up in her eyes and she suddenly found it hard to swallow.

"What is going on with me lately?" Robin asked Riley, who was asleep in her lap. "I seem to cry at the drop of a hat." Checking the clock on her VCR, Robin did a quick calculation in her head as to what time it would be in Anna's part of the world. Deciding that her mother would be up, Robin made a face when she realized that she had left her cordless phone on the kitchen counter earlier in the evening. She slowly moved Riley's head off her lap and started to stand up. But putting her feet on the floor, Robin found it difficult to stand up. Her head was spinning and she knew her equilibrium was way out of whack. Figuring it was a side effect of her fever, Robin braced herself on her end table and started to stand up. But as soon as she took a step toward the kitchen, she felt her legs buckle underneath her. To keep herself from falling, Robin lunged for the edge of the coffee table to steady herself. Something was not right, she thought fearfully.

Inching her way across the living room, grasping the edges of her furniture to steady her, Robin reached for her phone and leaned against the nearest barstool. Dialing the number she knew by heart, Robin tried to calm herself down before she began to speak.

"Uncle Mac?" Robin asked when his sleepy voice came on the line. "I'm sorry to wake you up, but I need your help. Can you come over right away? I think something is seriously wrong."


	13. The Men Who Love Her

**Chapter Thirteen - The Men Who Love Her**

Patrick moved his flashlight back and forth between Jason's eyes, measuring his pupils' response and checking for appropriate brain activity. "Good," Patrick said quietly, "now follow the light with your eyes."

Patrick continued to run some follow up exercises with Jason to test his brain activity while Sam sat quietly in the corner. She was relieved to finally hear Patrick say, "OK, everything still looks good." Turning off his flashlight and putting it in the pocket of his white lab coat, Patrick picked up Jason's chart and began to make some notes. He looked back up at Jason and said, "Now I know you don't want to hear this, but you really do need more rest. You've been placing too much strain on your..."

Sam knew how the end of the exam was going to go. Patrick was going to continue to lecture Jason about taking better care of himself and not tarnishing Dr. Drake's precious reputation. Jason, in turn, was going to pretend to listen and then do whatever the hell he pleased. She knew the drill, so she quietly stood up and gathered her coat. "I'm going to warm up the car. I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes." Sam said, slipping quietly out of the room.

While Patrick lectured Jason about proper post-surgery care, Jason took the opportunity to study Dr. Drake and size him up. It hadn't escaped Jason's attention that Robin and Patrick were growing closer.

He had first taken notice of the connection Robin had with Patrick when he saw them having dinner at the MetroCourt a few nights before. It was as if he had stepped back in time, watching the Robin of old that he had known so well. She was trading barbs with Patrick, but she was also basking in the other man's presence like a flower opening up under the sun's warmth. He even witnessed a rare smile light up her face, and heard a merry laugh escape her lips. As for Patrick, Jason noticed that he was actually behaving like a human being when she was near and not the arrogant jerk he had first met before his surgery. Patrick's eyes brightened. And more smiles seemed to be taking the place of that smirk that had always been pasted on his face. Quite a few times here at the hospital, Jason had glimpsed them conversing in low tones over matters that didn't always seem to be about medicine. A man had to be blind not to be aware of what passed between the two. And Jason was finding himself a little bit jealous.

"Where's Robin this morning?" Jason asked, performing another one of Patrick's mundane exercises like a puppet on a string.

Barely acknowledging him, Patrick glanced up from the notes he was making and said, "Her shift ended a few hours ago. My guess is that she is sound asleep right now." He made another note and then said, "Keep your left arm up above your head so I can see your range of motion."

"My motion was not the problem, it was my memory." Jason muttered, wondering what it was that Robin saw in this guy.

Patrick gave him a pointed look. "I cut into your brain, which besides performing many other important functions, also controls your range of motion. I just want to make sure that my intrusive procedure will not keep you, when the need arises, from pointing your gun at anyone's head."

"Right." Jason scowled, his dislike for Patrick growing by the second. "You're the doctor and I'm the hit man. And you just want to make sure I know what role I play in this little relationship." Jason's arm was getting tired and he wasn't all to sure that Patrick was just having him stand there for his own amusement. So, Jason said, "But we do have one thing in common."

Knowing exactly what Jason was talking about, Patrick snapped his chart closed and said, "No, we don't actually. Because, you see, I put Robin's needs first and don't force her into uncomfortable situations with people she doesn't like to be around."

"You know nothing about it." Jason snarled, lowering his arm. "When I woke up from that car accident there were only two people who looked like they knew what they were doing...Sonny and Robin. She taught me what life was all about. And I loved her."

"You broke her heart." Patrick retorted, returning his pen to his coat pocket. "Which made things very difficult for me at first. But I like a challenge. And Robin is definitely worth all the extra effort I had to put into it." He said smugly, enjoying watching the anger rise up in Jason. "So there's no need to worry, I am more than enough man to fix all the things you managed to break within her."

"I..." Jason began, but was cut off when Monica walked into the room.

"They told me you were here for a check up this morning." Monica said brightly, walking over to where Jason was and putting her arm around him. "This is an ungodly hour for an appointment. You really need to keep better hours, Jason." Monica paused and finally saw the contempt simmering between the two men. "Am I interrupting something?" She asked.

Patrick tore his eyes away from where they were locked with Jason's and pasted his smirk on his face. "Actually, Dr. Quartermaine, we were just finishing up. Jason, I'll see you for another exam in two weeks. Stop by the nurse's station to set up an appointment." He said, turning and walking out of the room.

Throwing his chart on the counter of the nurse's station, Patrick managed to knock the charts Liz was working on to the floor. "Well," she said sarcastically, leaning down to pick up what he dropped, "if it isn't Dr. Personality and his charming bedside manner."

As if he hadn't heard her, Patrick asked, "What did Robin ever see in that guy?"

"I see your appointment with Jason went just fantastically, didn't it?" Liz smiled a knowing smile and said, "Some people ask the same thing about you, you know?"

"Seriously," Patrick said, "I don't get it."

Liz shrugged, "Robin just plain loved him. They were like these sweet, romantic kids. Jason came into her life at a time when she needed to be reminded that life was worth living and he did that for her, without judgement or consequence." Liz looked over to the closed door of the exam room where Monica and Jason were still talking. "What should've destroyed them just made them stronger and she gave him everything she had left."

"Which he promptly turned his back on." Patrick said, raising his eyebrow at Liz's explanation.

"Jason is who he is." Liz tried to explain, knowing what he was talking about. "This bond he has with Carly is like some unexplainable force and you just have to accept her constant intrusion in his life." Liz shook her head and said, "I don't know how Sam does it and how Robin put up with it for so long. It's just Jason. He does things on his own terms and you just have to accept that if you want to be part of his world. Carly, Michael, his job...all of it."

"If that's love..." Patrick began, but Liz cut him off.

"It was love. Don't doubt that for a second." Liz warned him with a pointed look. "Whatever it ended up as, what he and Robin had was real and you're going to have to accept that if you want to be part of _her _world."

"Yeah, well, there shouldn't be conditions like that..." Patrick began, but was cut off by the ringing of the nurse's station telephone.

"Hold that thought." Liz said, picking up the phone at the desk. "Tenth Floor nurse's station." She said into the receiver as Patrick went back to his paperwork. He vaguely heard Liz say, "She's just coming out of Jason's room now. I'll send her right down."

Liz hung up the phone and no one seemed to notice the shakiness of her hands. Without looking at Patrick, she called to Monica, "Dr. Quartermaine, Tony needs you down in the ER right away. Mac brought Robin in." Patrick looked up at Liz, but she still refused to meet his eyes. Her next words froze him in his place.

"She's comatose and is not responding to his treatment."


	14. Dealing

**Chapter Fourteen - Dealing**

"Where the hell are those test results?" Patrick demanded, throwing his files down on the nurse's station counter and startling Liz. "The last tests we ran, her T-cell count dropped down to 88 from high 600's and we still have no damn idea how or why her numbers are plummeting."

Liz, knowing the last 48 hours of Robin's illness had been hard on him, tried to be patient. Gently, she said, "Patrick, do you want them right or do you want them fast? Because you can't have it both ways."

"Call down to the lab again, Liz. Talk to Jerry and tell him how important this is." Patrick reviewed Robin's chart and test results for the hundredth time that afternoon and shook his head. "If they get any lower, we are going to have a whole new set of problems to deal with. Her immune system can't handle too much more of this."

Going back to her computer work and trying to focus on something besides her best friend lying in that hospital bed down the hall, Liz patiently said, "I called down to the lab ten minutes ago. They know how important this is and that we are racing against time. Calling them again is not going to..."

"Are you down there?" He snapped at her, annoyed that she was working on the computer instead of doing what he had asked. "How do you know what they are doing if you don't call?" Frustrated, he turned his back on her and grabbed the phone. "Never mind, I'll do it myself."

Liz closed her eyes and quietly said, "This is hard on all of us, Patrick. But if you keep knocking around here and acting crazy, it's not going to accomplish anything."

Ignoring her plea, Patrick punched a few numbers on the phone and then swore under his breath. "How the hell do I get a line to the lab?"

"Don't take it out on her, son." Noah came up to the nurse's station, gently removed the phone from Patrick's hand and laid it back in it's cradle. "I just came from the lab and they are doing the best they can under really awful circumstances down there. They know how important it is that we isolate the source of Robin's virus. But this is delicate research they are doing." Searching Patrick's face for signs of understanding, he said quietly, "It's her blood, not her brain that we're dealing with Patrick. We can't just cut her open and fix what is wrong."

Picking up another file and thumbing through it, Patrick avoided his father's concerned stare and said quietly, "I have to be able to fix this. She's depending on me."

"We will fix it." Noah replied, his heart aching for his son. "Everyone here is doing all they can to figure out what this is. Look around, Patrick." Noah took the file out of his hand and gestured to the hospital at large. "Alan, Tony and Monica have been working around the clock, and I don't think Liz has slept in days." Lowering his voice, Noah reminded him, "They love her, too. And they want this over as badly as you do."

Patrick was silent as he grabbed the file back from his father, glaring at him.

Noah took a deep breath and watched Patrick come out from behind the counter at the nurse's station. He saw the tension in his shoulders and the lack of sleep in his face. Quietly, he said, "You need to relax, Patrick. Stressing these people out will not help your cause."

Patrick turned on him with a fierce look in his eyes. "What are you going to do to relax me dad? Buy me a drink?" Patrick hissed in a menacing and mocking tone. "I will not become like you."

"Fine, take it out on me." Noah returned fiercely, standing toe to toe with his son. "Make me into your punching bag. I can take whatever you have to give. But, dammit, get your head back in the game and stop beating up on people who are working toward the same goal as you are. Do not use this as an excuse to hide from your pain." Noah grabbed Patrick's arm and Patrick shrugged away from him. But Noah was not going to be deterred. "I don't want you to turn into me, either. But do you know what I see going on here? You are becoming the exact thing you claimed you would never be."

"You don't know what you are talking about." Patrick said, walking away from his father. "I have to go through some of Robin's research to see if I can find anything that will help us."

"You know what will help?" Noah asked, following behind a retreating Patrick. "Taking five minutes and spending it at her bedside. Holding her hand so that she knows she's not alone..."

"She knows she's not alone." Patrick said, gesturing to the waiting area. "Her family and friends have been here around the clock, in and out at all hours of the day and night. My holding her hand is not going to accomplish a damn thing." Lowering his voice, Patrick added, "She has been unresponsive for almost three days. She won't even know I'm there."

"She'll know." Noah said quietly.

Patrick and Noah locked eyes and they just stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Patrick picked up Robin's files and said, "I have files to go through." Patrick turned toward the elevator and was almost mowed over by a madwoman rushing out onto the floor.

"Where is she?" The woman demanded, rushing over to the waiting area. "Where is my daughter?"

Mac stood up and caught the frantic woman in his arms. "Anna, it's okay. Calm down."

"She's awake? Thank God..."

Mac shook his head and the fear returned to Anna's face as she said, "Mac, how could you have not called me sooner?"

"What could you have done?" He asked quietly.

"Got on a plane and came to Robin's bedside. Which is what I did." Anna looked around at her family and friends, but didn't seem to process any of them. Her thoughts were only of Robin. "Where is she? I need to see her."

"You can't see her, Anna." Mac said quietly, trying to calm her down. "None of us can."

"Don't tell me what I can and can not do." Anna said, the fire burning in her eyes. Patrick could suddenly see where Robin got it from. "I am her mother. That is my little girl in there. And I want to see her."

Patrick approached cautiously and said, "No one can see her right now. She is at a serious risk of infection."

"Who are you?" Anna demanded, annoyed at his intrusion.

Mac put his arm around Anna and said, "Anna, this is Patrick Drake. He is one of Robin's colleague's here at the hospital and a good friend. He is consulting on Robin's case."

Anna took a moment to size Patrick up and down. Robin had told Anna all about this handsome young doctor. Unfortunately, Anna had imagined their first meeting under much different circumstances. "What's happened to her?"

Patrick took a deep breath, wishing that Monica or Tony were around to do this. Talking to worried families was not Patrick's favorite task and the fear in Anna's eyes was unsettling to him. "Robin has developed some sort of an unknown bacterial infection. We have been unable to detect it's source and therefore have had some difficulty in treating it. It has attacked her immune system and all but shut it down, which as you know is very dangerous given Robin's HIV status. She lapsed into a coma, but so far we haven't seen any damage to any of her major organs. We have her on an IV as well as a heart and lung monitor to be sure the infection doesn't start attacking her nervous and respiratory systems. We are treating her with a larger than normal dose of a Combivir, Sustiva, and Bactrim cocktail to stabilize her, but we have to find out what kind of bacteria is causing this infection so that we can begin fighting the source." Patrick tried to read Anna's face, but he was unable to get any idea of what the woman was thinking. He tried again by saying, "Ms. Devane, we are doing everything possible for Robin..."

"Do more." Anna interrupted him in a strong voice. "Robin needs me now. Figure out a way to let me see my daughter."


	15. Bedside Manners

**Chapter Fifteen - Bedside Manners**

Patrick took a deep breath as he entered Robin's hospital room and glanced around at the variety of machines and equipment that were hooked up to keep her alive. Her beautiful features looked so pale and he almost had to look away. He glanced quickly at the monitors to check Robin's vital signs. Even though he could hear the rhythmic beeping, he still needed to reassure himself that Robin was simply sleeping.

He paused for a moment to watch Robin's mother, Anna, who was asleep in the chair next to Robin's bed and smirked for the first time since this whole nightmare began. That woman was bound and determined that she was going to be allowed into this room and, for some reason, she was determined that he was the one who was going to make that happen. Anna seemed like a woman who, like her daughter, could give him a run for his money and so Patrick bargained away his soul to get her permission to stay at Robin's side. She had to agree to scrub up as if she were going into surgery herself and then wear a surgical mask to cover her face, protecting Robin's sterile environment. But in the end, he was glad he could do it. If things had been different, Patrick would have wanted his own mother at his side. Or, at least, his father. Though he hated to admit it.

He gently laid a hand on Anna's shoulder, careful not to startle her, and she looked up at him with tired eyes. "You fell asleep." He whispered, not sure why he did so.

"No." she replied sleepily, shaking her head stubbornly. "I was just resting my eyes. Is there any change?"

Patrick shook his head and said, "No. I'm just checking her IV fluids to make sure the drugs are being administered properly."

"Checking up on Alan's work?" Anna asked with a smirk. "A man who has been a doctor longer than you have been alive?"

Patrick returned her smirk and said, "I have my own personal reasons."

"I know." Anna said simply, looking back at Robin's sleeping form.

"You must be exhausted from your flight." Patrick said quietly, ignoring the ache in his chest he felt when he saw Anna look tenderly at her daughter. It must be tearing her up inside to see Robin like this and be powerless to do anything about it. Patrick doubted that Anna had ever been powerless a day in her life. "Why don't you go get your legs under you for awhile? Take a walk, get some coffee and some fresh air, talk to your family." He suggested.

"I don't want to leave her alone. In case she wakes up..." Anna protested, shaking her head.

"I have a few minutes, so I'll sit with her for awhile." Patrick replied. "Don't worry."

Anna was hesitant for a moment, but then saw the look in Patrick's eyes. He had been stand-offish and difficult and frustratingly professional since she had arrived, but Anna could see right through this young doctor's act. He was scared to death for Robin and had no idea how to deal with that...as a doctor or as a man. As a mother, it did her heart good to know that Robin had found someone who cared for her this way. Deciding that maybe a little time alone with Robin would do young Dr. Drake some good, Anna smiled a tired smile. "Okay." She said quietly, standing up. "I won't be gone long. Call me the moment there is any change in her condition."

Patrick nodded and said, "And don't take off your mask until you get out in the hallway." Anna pretended to salute him as she left the room and Patrick shook his head. Like mother, like daughter.

Patrick pulled up a chair beside Robin's bed, took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. Her hand was warm from where it had been tucked into Anna's, but it was lifeless. He didn't know what to say and sat there silently for a few moments before clearing his throat. "Hey Robin. Your mom took a break for a few minutes, so you're stuck with me for now." He paused for a moment and then reverted to doctor mode. He pulled Robin's chart out of the rack at the end of her bed and looked it over. "OK, Dr. Scorpio, let me give you a rundown on your condition. Last night, in a moment of intense clarity and medical genius, I was able to isolate the bacteria that is causing your infection and we have administered a course of drug treatment that should have you back up and around shortly. You'll be groggy, confused, and in a lot of pain, but we've got more good drugs for that." He shook his head with a wry smile on his face, although he didn't find anything funny about the situation. "We found the answers we were looking for in your research, so now you have plenty of ammunition to come back at me with when I make fun of all the time you spend on your medical research." He closed the chart and took her hand in his again. "So now all you have to do is wake up. It's all up to you, Robin." Patrick didn't expect the tears that began to well up in his eyes, so he swiped at them with his hand. He didn't do sentimental, even when he was sitting alone in a hospital room.

"Look at this," he laughed to himself, but found nothing funny about any of this. "All that lecturing you did to me about bedside manners? Well, it must have been in preparation for this." Patrick looked all around the room again, his eyes finally coming to settle on her serene face. "You see, this is why I never get too close. Because I never wanted to ever hurt this much. God, I'm lying to everyone, pretending that everything is ok. That I'm this cool, confident doctor whose only fascination with this case is that I get to explore the mysterious world of immune deficiency." He stroked the back of her hand and confessed, "I know that they don't believe me, but I'm just not ready to let them know how deeply I am hurting. Or how scared I really am."

Patrick was silent again for a little while and just listened to the sounds of the monitors. Finally Patrick whispered, "It's time to fight the good fight, Robin, this time for your life." In a stronger voice, he continued, "And you've got to win. Because there are so many people out there just waiting for you to get better. Everyone is out in the waiting area just waiting for you to wake up. And I mean everyone...your uncle Mac and the girls, Jax, Emily, Lucky, Nikolaus. Even Jason had the nerve to show up last night, but Mac took care of that very quickly. They're all out there waiting for you to wake up." He tenderly smoothed a strand of Robin's dark hair off her forehead and was quiet for a moment before he hung his head and whispered into the darkness, "And one person right here who's waiting, too."


	16. A Break in the Silence

**Chapter Sixteen - A Break in the Silence**

Patrick studied Robin's silent face, her emotionless features, and the line between her eyes that was not yet fully erased. It didn't matter; there was a matching crease along his forehead, too. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there. He had lost all feeling in his limbs, long ago, concentrating only on her hand in his, making sure it was still warm, making sure her pulse still slogged methodically in her wrist. He gripped her hand tightly, marveled at its delicateness. This was the hand she'd run through her hair the first time she glared at him from across the empty operating room. She'd been too smart, too beautiful, and too cocky for her own good that day...demanding that he put his clothes on and perform a miracle. He'd been fascinated with her from that moment on.

"Are you in love with her?"

Patrick hadn't heard Anna return to the room and was startled by her quiet question. Pasting a smirk on his face, he turned around to face her and said, "You get right to the point, don't you? It must be a family trait."

"You have no idea." Anna said, her eyes challenging him from above her surgical mask. She moved over to the other side of the bed and softly brushed Robin's hair back over her shoulder. Looking back up at Patrick's face, Anna said, "You'd be an idiot not to be, you know?" She glanced down at Robin's serene face and said, "She's perfect. Everything a man would ever need in a woman."

"And that is an unbiased opinion, right?" Patrick asked, raising his eyebrow at Anna.

"Even if this amazing creature were not my child, I would think that she's perfect. Because she is." Anna said, not skipping a beat.

Feeling the need to lighten the mood in the somber room, Patrick said, "Sure. If your definition of perfect includes stubborn, opinionated, judgmental, and too smart for her own good."

Anna looked at Patrick for a few moments, trying to read his expression, before a slow smile spread across her lips. "Like I said...perfect."

"Absolutely." Patrick agreed.

"And beautiful." Anna said, looking back down at the face she loved more than any other in this world. "So beautiful. Especially when she smiles." The tears began to form in Anna's eyes as she said, "Which she doesn't do as much as she used to. It's a topic that has begun many an argument between the two of us." Anna looked back up at him and asked, "Do you think you can do something about that for me?"

"Already working on it." He answered, giving Robin's hand a final squeeze and standing up to leave the two women alone.

As Patrick reached to open the door, he heard Anna draw in a sharp breath. "Dr. Drake." she said quickly and Patrick turned around just in time to see Robin's eyes flicker open, as dark and heartbreakingly beautiful as ever.

The first thing Robin saw when she opened her eyes was the bright white ceiling and immediately knew she must be in the hospital. The smell of hospital disinfectant the sound of the beeping machine by her side confirmed her original thought. But it was the sound of her mother's voice that kept her from being afraid.

"Robin?" Anna said quietly.

Robin turned her head to see Anna smiling at her through her tears. "Mom?" Robin asked, her mouth dry and her voice unsteady.

"It's me, baby. I'm right here."

"What are you doing here?" She asked, trying to comprehend what was going on.

"I was in the neighborhood." Anna tried to joke.

"What's going on?"

"We almost lost you, baby girl." Anna said, squeezing her hand. "But everything's okay now." Looking up at Patrick, who came to stand on the other side of Robin's bed, she said, "Thanks to Dr. Drake."

"Hi," he whispered, squeezing her hand.

'Hey," she croaked back, her eyes still ghosted with grogginess. They stared at each other for a small eternity.

Finally Patrick cleared his throat and said, "How are you feeling?"

"Weak." Robin replied. "Confused."

"Sounds about right. You scared us all pretty good this week."

"I thought you didn't scare that easily?" Robin whispered, teasingly.

"Neither did I." He replied, gazing down at her beautiful face.

"What happened?" She asked. "The last thing I remember was calling Uncle Mac because I was dizzy and couldn't get my balance."

"You had a new kind of bacterial infection attack your system." He explained, still drinking in the sight of her. "Shut you down, but we managed to get you back up and running again."

"Young Dr. Drake here was the one who managed to isolate the strand of bacteria so that Alan could give you the right drugs to fight the infection." Anna interjected. "He was like a madman, pouring over research files and driving everyone crazy." Softly, she said, "He saved your life."

"He's good at that." Robin said with a smile. Then she said, "So, what's this about you doing research? The kind of medicine that is chosen only be people who want to hide from the world."

Patrick shook his head with a grin and said, "Okay, I'm going to let you have that one for free. Because you almost died and everything." Turning to Anna, he said, "I'm going to have Liz page Alan and Tony so they can make sure she's alright. Because there is an army of relatives out there just waiting for some good news. And frankly, we need our couches back."

Anna smiled as Patrick moved toward the door and heard Robin say, "Patrick?"

He turned to look at her as she smiled and said, "You did good work, doctor."


	17. Someone to Watch Over Me

**Chapter Seventeen - Someone To Watch Over Me**

"Knock, knock."

Robin opened her eyes to see her Uncle Mac peek his head around her hospital room door. She gave him a tired smile and said, "Hey you."

"I've been told numerous times by your mother, Liz, and both Dr. Drake's to let you rest, but I just had to see for myself that you were Okay." He said, coming all the way into her room, but then asked with a concern look on his face, "Were you sleeping?"

"Not really." Robin said, trying to prop herself up. "I got tired of counting the marks on the ceiling, so I decided to study the insides of my eyelids for a change of pace."

"Here, let me help you." Mac moved to the side of her bed and propped some pillows up behind Robin's back. He sat in the chair next to her bed and smiled at her. "They say that doctors make the worst patients."

"I'm just bored. I don't think I can spend another day in this bed."

"Well, you're just going to have to until Alan and Tony decide that you are strong enough to go home." Mac raised an eyebrow at her and said, "And if you force the issue, I'm going to use my handcuffs to cuff you to this bed."

Robin grinned and shook her head, knowing he was only half joking. "Where's mom?"

"I finally convinced her to go back to the house to get a shower and a nap. I think she was driving everyone here a little crazy."

"I can't imagine." Robin said sarcastically.

Mac grinned along with her, but his face turned serious when he said, "She wasn't about to leave your side for a second. She was really scared. We all were."

"I'm okay now." Robin reassured him.

"I know. But I don't ever want to go through that again. Not knowing if you were going to..." Mac let his voice trail off as he took Robin's hand in his and brought it to his lips for a soft kiss. He seemed like he was a million miles away for a moment and then he said, "I promised your dad that I would always take care of you. Like you were my own."

"And you have." Robin smiled, covering his hand with hers.

"I did the best I knew how, which I know didn't always make you happy with me. And you fought me every step of the way." he said, smiling up at her sadly. "But I think we did okay, didn't we?"

"I think we did better than okay." Robin smiled.

"He would be so proud of you." Mac said, choking back his sudden tears. "At the woman you've become...the doctor you've become. At how you live your life with honor and strength and dignity. You carry the Scorpio name with pride and do it such justice."

"Stop..." Robin said, the tears forming in her eyes, as well. "You're just as bad as mom. Getting all sappy on me."

"I love you, Robin."

"I love you, too." She replied, squeezing his hand.

"And I know that you're a big grown up girl now, living in Paris, and taking care of yourself." Mac said, reverting into father mode. "But I just want you to remember that you don't always have to. You're home now, and we all want you to be happy. And we're not the only ones."

Robin realized what he was talking about and rolled her eyes. "Please tell me we are not going to talk about Patrick."

"Well, how about I talk about him and you just listen?" Mac suggested.

"This could get ugly." Robin said sarcastically.

"Well, we all know that there will never be a man in this universe who will ever be good enough for any of my girls..." He began.

"But?" Robin urged.

"But Dr. Drake was very impressive during your illness. He was determined to find the source of your infection, almost bordering on compulsive. And," Mac said, sitting back in his chair, "he was very protective when Jason and Sonny tried to get some information on you. He doesn't like them. Which means that you have to marry him. Today. I'll call the caterer."

Robin giggled and said, "You are too much."

"Are you falling in love with him?"

"This is more of mother/daughter conversation, don't you think?" Robin asked, trying to avoid his questions.

"I just want you to be happy." Mac said, winking at her. "And whole again. Maybe Patrick can be a part of that."

Robin smiled at him and said, "Maybe."


	18. You've Got to Have Friends

**Chapter Eighteen - You've Got to Have Friends**

_Two weeks later_

"So what is the next treatment option?"

Robin shrugged her shoulders and looked helplessly at Liz as they walked to their cars at the end of another long day at the hospital. Robin had been back to work at General Hospital for about a week now and Liz's fears for her health were starting to fade. Robin was back to her old self and hard at work on the Gracie Markum case. "I've run every test imaginable on that child and am no closer to finding out what is wrong with her than the day her mother brought her in."

Emily, walking out with them, chimed in and said, "The results from the latest battery of tests should find it's way up to your desk by tomorrow, so let's clear some space in our schedules about mid-morning and you can show me why I should follow you into the fascinating world of neurological research." Emily grinned and put her arm around Robin and Robin in turn laid her head on her friends' shoulder. "But for tonight, let's try something different. Let's leave work at the hospital and concentrate on something else...your love life. Or lack of it."

"Oh good," Robin replied sarcastically, laughing. "let's move from one depressing topic to an even _more _depressing one!"

"So, what's going on with Patrick?" Emily wanted to know. "A few weeks ago he was following you around like a little lost puppy and ever since your illness he's been so reserved. He hasn't gotten on anyone's nerves at all. Something's wrong."

"Of course something is wrong," Liz exclaimed. "Did you not see the man while she was comatose? He was a wreck. He realized that he was in love with her and it scared the hell out of him! And now he has no idea how to act. He can't pull the arrogant jerk act anymore because now we all know that there's more to him, but he's afraid to confess his true feelings because he can't handle the thought of rejection." Liz looked sideways at Robin and asked, "You wouldn't reject him, would you?"

"Why is that all of you blissfully happy newlyweds always want the rest of the world to be in love along with you?" Robin teased her friend.

"Way to avoid the question." Emily said, laughing. "But I can see where Patrick is coming from. I mean, I drunkenly confessed my feelings to Sonny and that turned into the worst night of my entire life! I can't believe I am still showing my face around in public!"

Robin and Liz both laughed, and then Liz said, "Well, we all know that Patrick is crazy about Robin but he is being such a _guy _about the whole thing. So, you have to make the first move."

"Were you not just listening to Emily's impassioned little speech about rejection?" Robin joked. "It works both ways, you know."

"He's not going to reject you." Liz said matter-of-factly.

"Has she been taking amateur psychology classes that we don't know about?" Robin asked and Emily laughed.

"He is in love with you!" Liz said, grabbing Robin's arm and playfully pushing her around. "How many different ways do I have to say that?"

"I don't think you are the one who has to say it." Emily said. "Patrick does."

"What? Are we living back in the stone age? Who says the guy has to say it first?" Liz asked. "We are women in control of our own destinies. Taking charge of our own lives."

"I'm just not as confident about Patrick's feelings for me as you are." Robin shrugged. "I guess I am beyond help."

"Maybe." Liz agreed, with a twinkle in her eyes. "But luckily, you have friends who refuse to give up on you. So, here's the plan. Lucky is working the late shift tonight and won't be home until very early tomorrow morning. Lulu is escaping the craziness of the Quartermaine's and has agreed to babysit for Cameron tonight. So, you will go home and change into your sexiest dress, tousle the hair, sparkle up the make-up and meet us at Club 51 for a night out on the town. We will dance, drink, and flirt like we were carefree again."

Robin shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm tired and all I need is..."

"A life!" Liz interrupted with a laugh. "You can't back out. Do you know how much I had to go through to get Lulu to babysit?"

Robin was hesitant, but Emily gave her a playful shove with her shoulder. "Come on, Rob. We haven't had a girls night out in so long! And we deserve one! The last few weeks have been awful!"

Robin finally conceded and Liz and Emily were giddy. "Yeah! Watch out Port Charles...the girls are hitting the town!"


	19. The Power of A Woman

**The Power of a Woman**

"Well, I just did what any self respecting girl would do. I threw my shoe at him." Robin's eyes sparkled as she recounted for her girlfriends a story from her time in Paris. Of course, the sparkle in her eye was probably the result of the many empty cocktail glasses on the table in front of her. Once Robin had started drinking those sweet, pink concoctions she had found it hard to stop.

"So, did you hit him?" Emily wanted to know, leaning in closer so that she could hear her story over the music pulsating through the club.

"Of course. With my spiked heel, right in the head." She pointed to a spot on her own head to demonstrate her point. "He probably still has the scar to prove it. So he'll always remember me."

Liz and Emily all dissolved into laughter at the look on Robin's face. It was so good to see her happy. "Just a fair warning to all those boys out there...don't piss this woman off." Liz warned through her laughter.

"Speaking of boys," the waitress interrupted, setting down another round of drinks for the giggly girls, "I do believe you are being scoped out by that hottie over there." She nodded in the direction of a nearby table and all four women turned to look in that direction. The direction of Dr. Patrick Drake.

Turning back around, Emily pretended to fan herself. "Whoo, girl! Dr. Drake is looking hot tonight!"

Patrick and his old med school buddy, Dr. Danny Conklin, had met up for dinner while Danny was passing through Port Charles. Patrick and Danny had been inseparable in med school and during the early days of their medical careers. Since Patrick had moved to Port Charles, he and Danny hardly got to see each other anymore. Dinner didn't seem to give them enough time to catch up, so they thought they would check out the local action at Club 51. But Patrick had wanted to leave almost as soon as he arrived, until he saw Robin walk through the door.

From the moment she had walked in the door with Emily and Liz, Robin had captured the full attention of every man in the room. Of course, the low cut jeans, eye popping black tank top, and the tousled hair-do she sported probably had a something to do with that. It was a far cry from the well put together doctor she played at the hospital. Patrick couldn't take his eyes off her.

She was no longer sitting at her table and Patrick's eyes scanned the crowd until he found her. She was easy enough to spot, her hair sparkling under the neon lights. Some guys had challenged her and Liz to a game of pool and the girls were about to take them up on their challenge. He chuckled to himself. If those men only knew that they were about to play against one woman who grew up in the gap between the Corinthos crime family and the police commissioner and another who had married the legendary Luke Spencer's son, they would just hand their money over to them now and save themselves the humiliation. Patrick was sure Robin and Liz had picked up some tricks along the way.

"She is beautiful, isn't she?" Danny's voice suddenly invaded Patrick's private thoughts.

"Hmmm?" Patrick looked over at him, not realizing that he had just been caught wearing his thoughts on his face.

"The brunette in the black tank top." Danny said, looking over his shoulder. "You know her?"

"That's Robin Scorpio."

Danny's jaw dropped to the table as he said, "_That's_ Dr. Robin Scorpio? The one that developed the new drug therapy for catastrophic brain injuries and has been driving you nuts for weeks now?" Patrick nodded with a grin and took another swig of his drink. "When in life do brains like hers come in a package that looks like that? You are one lucky son of a bitch."

"She's got some serious baggage." Patrick remarked, his eyes drifting back to where Robin was lining up her next pool shot.

"So help her unpack it, Drake. That's a no-brainer." Danny said, letting out a low whistle. "Her cutting edge research and your skills in surgery? You two would make a powerhouse team."

Danny's eyes were twinkling with mischief and Patrick couldn't help but smile. "Are you telling me how to do my job?"

"No, I'm telling you how to get the girl. The girl you haven't taken your eyes off of all evening."

Patrick lowered his voice, even though their conversation couldn't be heard above the loud music. "What makes you think I need you to tell me how to get the girl?"

"Well, the fact that you have been sitting here all night staring at her when all you really want to do is go over there seems to be an indication." Danny replied, almost smugly. "That isn't like you, Drake. My old boy would have moved in for the kill before those three little hotties even got to their table." A knowing look came over Danny's face as he said, "Oh no! Oh no way!"

"What?" Patrick asked, a slow grin coming over his face as he watched Liz and Robin collect their pool winnings from their very embarrassed challengers.

Danny burst out laughing. "You're in love with her, aren't you? Oh my God, it's all over your face. It's finally happened. The legend with the ladies, Patrick Drake, had fallen in love. This is a whole other ball game, my friend. Your usual come ons and pick up lines are obviously not working on this girl. You've got to make an all out confession. Nothing less than a true declaration of love is going to get you anywhere with Ms. Scorpio."

"I don't need your advice or your games to get the girl. I can do just fine on my own." Patrick raised his glass to Danny's meddling ways and finished off his drink.

"Yeah, well you may just get the chance to prove it." Danny said, nodding in the direction behind Patrick. He turned around to see Robin making her way over to him.

"Are you following me, Dr. Drake?" Robin asked, standing over their table with her hands on her hips and a flirty look on her face.

Patrick quickly shook his head and stood up. "Ah...no. We're just a couple of guys," Patrick motioned to Danny, "having a drink. This is an old friend of mine, Dr. Dan Conklin."

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Scorpio." Danny said, unable to hide the smirk on his face. "I've been hearing so much about you."

Patrick shot Danny an icy look and then looked at Robin. "But, since you mentioned it, do you really think that you should be out so soon after cheating death?"

Ignoring Patrick's comment, Robin did something next that shocked the hell out of both of them. "Liz and Emily were just telling me that since you've been acting strange lately, then I should be the one to make the first move." She said, lacing her fingers through Patrick's and moving her body closer to his. He could smell the alcohol on her breath, but knew that wasn't what was making him dizzy. "So this is me, making the first move. Dance with me." She whispered sexily into his ear.

"I don't dance," he grinned down at her, putting his arms around her to steady her. "Especially to this stuff they call music." When she twisted her beautiful features into a fake pout, he said, "I've got no rhythm. Great hands, but no rhythm."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" She whispered, seductively.

Patrick was not sure if it was her hot breath in his ear, the sexy tone of her voice, the scent of her perfume, or the feel of her body pressed up against his that caused him to do what he did next. But something silenced the nagging negativity in his head and he found himself following her out to the dance floor.


	20. Chapter 20

_Well, we have come to the final chapter of this fic! I want to thank everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story! Your comments made me laugh out loud and gave me such encouragement. If anyone is interested, I am posting another Robin and Patrick fic called **Matchmakers **which incorporates many of my favorite characters from GH in a cute and fun fic! Thanks again for the support. I hope you enjoy the end..._

* * *

**ChapterTwenty - This Thing Called Love**

Patrick stepped out of the elevator on the floor of Robin's apartment, careful not to fall over anything in the darkened hallway. Shaking her head, Robin walked out behind him. He turned to face her and held out his hand. "Keys?" he asked, motioning for her to give him the keys to her house.

"I can open my own door." She muttered but handed the keys over to him.

"Really?" Patrick asked, raising his eyebrow at her. "Because if I remember correctly, you had a little trouble getting yourself out of the car. The door handle is much larger than your keyhole here, and..."

"Just open the door and don't rub it in." she said, waving him off. He smirked and turned around to open her front door. As she watched him, Robinsaid, "Why did you agree to bring me home? Don't tell me you make house calls now."

"Only for my favorite patients." Patrick said, opening the apartment door and leaning down to greet an anxious Riley. "Besides, I'm taking your advice and working on my bedside manner."

"How's that going for you?" she asked, following him into the apartment and leaning down to scratch the head of her traitorous dog.

"Slowly." Patrick said with a grin. "I'm much better with comatose patients. They don't throw you out. Besides, Emily and Liz thought that me taking you home was a safe idea since I had less to drink than any of you."

"Don't kid yourself. They didn't want me to be safe. They wanted me to get laid." Robin muttered, brushing past him and heading into the living room.

Patrick smirked, closed the door and followed her into the living room. "That sounds promising for me." He flopped down on her sofa and grinned up at her.

"Make yourself right at home, why don't you?" she muttered, moving one of her many throw pillows and sitting down next to him. She gave him a serious look and said, "I don't put out on the first date."

Teasingly, Patrick put his arm around her and said, "I know. You told me that when we actually went on our first date. So, technically, if you want to call this a date then this is our second date. But given the fact that I saved your life in between, I'd think you would be looking for ways to express your gratitude ."

Robin resisted the urge to snuggle closer to him and simply leaned her head back, trapping his arm between her neck and the couch. "I'd offer you some coffee but, believe it or not, I have to be at work tomorrow. If I drank coffee now, I'd be completely useless by mid-morning."

"You know, it's a good thing your mother is staying at your uncle's because I think that she would be very upset to learn that you didn't offer the man who saved your life a small cup of coffee." Patrick observed, liking the feeling of her head resting on his arm.

"Are you trying for the world record of how many times you can remind me that you saved my life?" Robin asked with a grin. "And if you really want coffee, there is an all night convenience store down the street."

"If I go, will you let me back in?" he asked, raising his eyebrow at her.

"Nope." Robin grinned, turning her head to look at him.

"Then I don't want coffee."

"What do you want?" she asked quietly.

"You."

Robin was silent for a moment while she digested what he had just told her. Sensing that he had rendered her speechless, Patrick took advantage of the moment and said, "I found out something while you were sick. Something you should know."

"Something in my research?" she asked, knowing full well that wasn't what he was talking about.

"No." he replied with a laugh. "Actually it has nothing to do with medicine. It has more to do with Chemistry."

Robin burst out laughing at his response and sat up to face him. "Does that line actually work for you?"

"Apparently not." He replied with a smirk. "Okay, so how about this line? I found out that I'm falling in love with you."

Robin was shocked and stared at him for what seemed to be an eternity. Of all the things she was expecting him to say, that wasn't one of them. She got up off the couch and walked into the kitchen. "Where are you going?" he asked, more than a little confused by her response.

"To make coffee."

Amused, he followed her into the kitchen and said, "I thought you weren't going to offer me any coffee."

"I changed my mind. I need something to do right now." Robin said, opening up her coffee canister and praying that he wouldn't see her hands shaking. Not taking her eyes off her coffeemaking task, she said, "You can't do that, you know? You can't tell a woman who has had a little too much to drink that you are falling in love with her! It messes with her emotions and...Damn." Robin's trembling hands were having trouble separating the thin coffee filters, so Patrick covered them with his own gentle hands. Robin finally looked up at him and softly asked, "Why did you just say that to me? You can't tell a person that you are falling in love with them without some kind of warning."

"So, a warning is what you are interested in?" he asked quietly, leaning in so that he was close enough to her to for her to feel his warm breath on her cheek. ""Well, here's a warning. I'm going to kiss you. Okay?" he grinned against her lips before capturing them with his own .

Patrick didn't really give her a chance to answer, so Robin let her eyelids slide closed and let herself sink into his kiss. His mouth was hot and slick and he tasted faintly of the bourbon he had been drinking earlier. She'd never liked bourbon much, but second-hand, chased off his tongue, it was the best thing she'd ever tasted.

When Patrick finally let her go, he whispered, "I heard once that love is friendship on fire. Isn't that what we have here?"

Robin shook her head and tried to step away, but he wouldn't relax his hold on her. Things were spinning all around her and she knew it had nothing to do with the alcohol. "Patrick, this is crazy. We just..."

"No," Patrick said, cutting her off before she could talk herself out of her feelings. "What's crazy is this dance we've been doing around each other since we met. If I learned anything from almost losing you, it's that life is too short to keep on doing what we've been doing."

Robin shook her head and pulled away, walking back into the living room. _What the hell was happening here?_ "You can't think that you love me, Patrick. It's just a reaction to thinking I was going to die. It's okay," she reasoned, "I understand..."

"I don't think you do understand." hesaid following her to the living room. "Because this is not how you're supposed to react when someone tells you that they love you."

Robin turned on him and Patrick was surprised by the fear and doubt he saw in her eyes. "Do you really think you love me?" Patrick nodded and Robin continued, "For how long, Patrick? How long till you start wondering if there isn't someone better in the next room or the next bar? Or the next exam room for that matter? Do you know what it's like being involved with someone with HIV?" She asked, trying to keep the tears from finding their way into her voice. "How careful we would have to be and how fed up you're going to get with that? I am not one of your easy little one night stands..."

"That's not what I want." he said quietly. "Not anymore. Not since I met you."

"That's because this is new to you...a challenge. But how long until that little voice in your head reminds you of all the infinite 22-year-olds you could be screwing tomorrow, or the next day, or the next?"

He moved closer to her and quietly said, "I'm not Jason. And it's not fair of you to color me with his mistakes." He pulled her back into his arms and held her tight, in a clear indication that he was not going to let her go. He put his finger under her chin and forced her face up to look at him. Gently he said, "I know you're scared. I'm scared, too. But not as scared as I was of losing you before we even got the shot at this that we deserve." He traced a his finger along her jawline and whispered, "Sometimes what we want most in life is right in front of us and we're just afraid to take the first step. So let's take it together."

Robin looked into his eyes, really looking into them for the first time. And what she saw there was truth. Truth in what he said and truth about what he felt for her. _Why was she so afraid to accept his gift of love_? "I'm not dying anymore, Patrick. And my uncle is the police commissioner. You can't take all of this back without some serious consequences."

Patrick grinned and said, "I'll risk it." He brushed his lips against hers, relieved that he had been able to begin breaking through that wall she had up around her heart. With a smirk, he said, "You know I could be anywhere in the world right now, right?" She rolled her eyes at him and then his tone turned serious. "But I choose to be here. Because this is where you are. And the world is a better place where you are."

That did it. Those words were enough to force her true feelings out of her. "I love you, too." she whispered and Patrick's mouth was against her collarbone before she even finished her statement. He traced a path up her neck, covering it with sweet kisses until she gasped. Robin's lips parted immediately when they met his and she tasted the masculine sweetness of him. Patrick watched her eyelids flutter closed as his hand on her shoulder drew up into the curve of her throat, warm around the nape of her neck. His tongue met hers halfway and they kissed until she couldn't remember anything outside of this; the soft scratch of his stubbled beard, his wandering touch, the feel of his shoulders under her hands. But mostly she felt his mouth and hers and the many ways they could fit together, the taste of him on her tongue.

Patrick finally drew back for breath, and she opened her eyes. Quietly, he whispered, "Come on, doctor. It's time for you to let someone else take care of you for a change."

"I've been taking care of myself for a long time now." Robin said quietly. "I'm not sure I know how to let someone else do it."

"Allow me to show you." Patrick said, sitting them both down on the couch and pulling her close to him. Once she was nestled close to him, they both leaned back against the sofa cushions. "How's that?"

Robin laid her head on his chest and breathed in the masculine scent of him, nodding. "You have a pretty good bedside manner."

"You ain't seen nothing yet." He teased, his fingers playing in the softness of her hair.

"You know," Robin said, her voice low and intimate, taking one of his hands in hers and examining it closely. "I heard this rumor that you have really good hands, doctor. Does this whole being in love thing mean I get to find out?"

"You ain't seen nothing yet." He repeated with a seductive grin, leaning in for another breathtaking kiss


End file.
